Horse Whisperer Buck Brannaman shares his philosophy on living in Buck
Horse Whisperer Buck Brannaman shares his philosophy on living in Buck... Movies for Grownups
Directed by Cindy Meehl
Rated PG, Runtime: 88 mins.
Stars: Buck Brannaman On the surface, Buck is a study of horses, but it’s also a portrait of Buck Brannaman, a man who possesses a deep reserve of empathy that allows him to connect with four-legged creatures as well as the two-legged ones that ride them. See also:
The 88-minute documentary follows Brannaman, who inspired the main character in the novel The Horse Whisperer, as he traverses the country, holding four-day clinics for horse owners seeking help with training. In scene after scene, he performs his alluring dance in dusty corrals and wind-swept pastures. Wearing fringed suede chaps and a cordless mike, he offers pearls of wisdom to the animals’ human keepers: “A lot of times, rather than helping people with horse problems,” he says, “I’m helping horses with people problems.” No boisterous Dr. Phil is cowboy Brannaman; his admonitions are often pointed but always quiet, sometimes diluted with smart humor.
First-time moviemaker Cindy Meehl has a hit with Buck, her new documentary.
During the three months of each year that he’s not on the road, Brannaman, 49, lives with his wife and three daughters on a ranch in Sheridan, Wyoming. A student of the natural-horsemanship pioneers Ray Hunt and Tom Dorrance, Brannaman practices a method of training that calls for encouragement rather than punishment, and for earning a horse’s respect rather than “breaking” it. The film makes it clear that Brannaman applies the method in all his relationships. What makes Brannaman so inherently good at what he does, we learn, is his own painful past. As a child, after the early death of his mother, he suffered horrific beatings and abuse by his alcoholic father. Ultimately, he and his older brother—both skilled rope trick riders—were placed in foster homes. (We meet Brannaman’s foster mother, with whom he maintains a close, loving relationship.)
Meet the Real Horse Whisperer
Forget Robert Redford Buck Brannaman is the true-to-life cowboy in a new documentary
Courtesy IFC Films American cowboy and horse whisperer Buck Brannaman stars in the documentary Buck.Directed by Cindy Meehl
Rated PG, Runtime: 88 mins.
Stars: Buck Brannaman On the surface, Buck is a study of horses, but it’s also a portrait of Buck Brannaman, a man who possesses a deep reserve of empathy that allows him to connect with four-legged creatures as well as the two-legged ones that ride them. See also:
The 88-minute documentary follows Brannaman, who inspired the main character in the novel The Horse Whisperer, as he traverses the country, holding four-day clinics for horse owners seeking help with training. In scene after scene, he performs his alluring dance in dusty corrals and wind-swept pastures. Wearing fringed suede chaps and a cordless mike, he offers pearls of wisdom to the animals’ human keepers: “A lot of times, rather than helping people with horse problems,” he says, “I’m helping horses with people problems.” No boisterous Dr. Phil is cowboy Brannaman; his admonitions are often pointed but always quiet, sometimes diluted with smart humor.
Director Q& A
First-time moviemaker Cindy Meehl has a hit with Buck, her new documentary.
During the three months of each year that he’s not on the road, Brannaman, 49, lives with his wife and three daughters on a ranch in Sheridan, Wyoming. A student of the natural-horsemanship pioneers Ray Hunt and Tom Dorrance, Brannaman practices a method of training that calls for encouragement rather than punishment, and for earning a horse’s respect rather than “breaking” it. The film makes it clear that Brannaman applies the method in all his relationships. What makes Brannaman so inherently good at what he does, we learn, is his own painful past. As a child, after the early death of his mother, he suffered horrific beatings and abuse by his alcoholic father. Ultimately, he and his older brother—both skilled rope trick riders—were placed in foster homes. (We meet Brannaman’s foster mother, with whom he maintains a close, loving relationship.)