'Buck' is the real horse whisperer

"Buck" is a new documentary by Cindy Meehl about Buck Brannaman, the "horse whisperer" who inspired the Nicholas Sparks' novel that was later made into a film of the same name by Robert Redford in 1998.

The documentary focuses on Brannaman, a professional horseman and trick roping performer since childhood. Buck, as he is known, is shown at length conducting his horse clinics at various ranches across the country. At each of these clinics Buck seemingly does the impossible, calming a skittish young colt (and its owners) so he can be saddled and ridden. It is inferred that this extraordinary gift is due to Buck's own early childhood at the hands of an abusive father.The reasoning is that Buck feels for the animals who are similarly mistreated by the thoughtless horse owners.

However, there is a lot more to Buck than first meets the eye. Yes, he has an uncanny way with horses, although we see little of the "whispering" that Redford, as Buck, indulged in in the feature film. Here, Buck is stern, but gentle with the horse flesh, full of philosophical asides such as: Sometimes the person, or the owner is the problem, not the horse. His phrase will be echoed in one of the drama-filled final sequences of the movie.

During several interviews conducted throughout the film it is clear that Buck is held in almost reverential regard by those who know him. Even Robert Redford is on hand speaking of the time he first met Buck, and how it was making the film with him. It seems Buck saved one of the crucial scenes in "The Horse Whisperer" by substituting his own untrained "non- actor" horse for the one (highly paid, no doubt) that refused to do his trick on cue.

Buck's teenage daughter Reata, who travels and helps her father out on his summer tours, says she "wants to be just like Dad." She's hardly alone in her hero worship, with many other "talking head" interviewees voicing similar feelings.

There's lots of ropin' and ridin' and down to earth cinematography. So much so that at times I could swear I smelled the horse manure.

All together we get to spend some quality time with this deeply principled man, someone the world can look up to. Perhaps an old-fashioned concept, but one that "Buck," the man and the movie just might make you reconsider. That's reason enough to see this uplifting, entertaining film, and. oh yeah, please bring the family.

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