Cindy Meehl

Fascinating documentary portrait of real-life cowboy Buck Brannaman, who inspired both the novel and the motion picture "The Horse Whisperer" with his uncannily accurate ability to recognize when horses are in distress and calmly communicate with them.

Buck Brannaman, inspiration for "The Horse Whisperer," is revealed as a complex figure who can communicate with troubled horses all across America.

BUCK, a richly textured and visually stunning film, follows Brannaman from his abusive childhood to his phenomenally successful approach to horses. A real-life “horse-whisperer”, he eschews the violence of his upbringing and teaches people to communicate with their horses through leadership and sensitivity, not punishment. Buck possesses near magical abilities as he dramatically transforms horses – and people – with his understanding, compassion and respect. In this film, the animal-human relationship becomes a metaphor for facing the daily challenges of life. A truly American story about an unsung hero, BUCK is about an ordinary man who has made an extraordinary life despite tremendous odds.

BUCK, a richly textured and visually stunning film, follows Brannaman from his abusive childhood to his phenomenally successful approach to horses. A real-life "horse-whisperer", he eschews the violence of his upbringing and teaches people to communicate with their horses through leadership and sensitivity, not punishment.