External Reviews list on IMDb.
IMDb Reviews
February 24, 2021 by
A favorite interview – Movie City News
January 13, 2014 by
DP/30 @ Sundance by The Hot Button
January 3, 2011
Cindy Meehl Meet the Artist
December 28, 2013 by
Sundance Video – Cindy Meehl Interview
Sundance 2011 Screening Schedule
December 2010
A living legend in the horse world, Buck Brannaman was the inspiration for The Horse Whisperer. For this true cowboy, horses are a mirror of the human soul. See video and read more…
UK Reviews
May 15, 2012 by
Cine Vue
4 stars, Alexandra Hayward
Buck Brannaman appears to be your average modern-day cowboy; yet in the equestrian world and beyond, he is nothing short of a superstar. In the inspirational and emotionally-charged documentary Buck (2011), the first feature release from Cindy Meehl, we meet an enigmatic man who possesses an extraordinary gift to communicate and heal troubled or misbehaving horses across the United States.
Complete article >
London Evening Standard
3 Stars, Derek Malcolm
There’s a whole class of people dedicated to helping owners with their animals. Buck Brannaman, does it the other way round, helping animals with their owners. He is a cowboy, teacher and part-time philosopher, the real-life horse whisperer, and Cindy Meehl’s documentary, supported by Robert Redford, the cinematic horse whisperer, shows how he does it.
Complete article >
The Guardian
4 Stars, Catherine Shoard
Saddle up for for a one-way ticket to inspirationville: this Sundance-wowing documentary gives an insight into the real-life horse whisperer, child abuse backstory and all. Buck Brannaman is the sort of copper-bottomed authentic that makes you wonder how we ever swallowed Robert Redford’s blow-dried impression. Half nag, half guru, he burrs wise words about wrangling men and beasts, one’s primal nature and one’s animal altruism. Yet he’s also acid enough to balance out the slight tang of treacle in Meehl’s treatment. There’s a whole heap of Americana to wallow in here, but it’s testimony to the director and subject that Buck still trots along at such a lick. Complete article >
ContactMusic.com
Ostensibly a documentary about a real-life horse whisperer, this film actually has more to say about how people treat each other than how they interact with horses. It’s a strikingly well-made film that entertains us while packing a quiet emotional kick.
The horse whisperer: ‘My dad taught me to understand fear’
April 18, 2012 by
The Telegraph, UK
By Christopher Middleton
7:15AM BST 17 Apr 2012
From the top of his stetson to the tip of his dusty boots, Buck Brannaman looks every inch the Wild West hero. As he lopes through the lobby of a trendy London hotel, you can’t help wondering what he’s doing in here, rather than riding a palomino across the plains. Complete article >
Unique review of BUCK by Kosher Movies
March 5, 2012 by
When I was about ten years old, my father surprised me by taking me to a veterinarian’s office to pick up a dog. It was a “mutt,” a mixed breed, part collie and part something else. The visit was one of my “wow” moments growing up. I named the dog Shep, and we became fast friends. He would sleep at the foot of my bed, chew at the bedpost, and wake me up every morning with a happy look. My father taught the dog to go the newsstand a block away and to bring home the paper in its mouth. I thought that was really cool. When my day did not go well, Shep was always there to cheer me up. He was my dependable friend. But, like many kids, I was not diligent about walking the dog and taking care of all the stuff that goes with caring for a pet. Eventually my mother gave the dog away, and I spent that fateful day crying over my lost Shep.
The horse whisperer’s spiritual healing
March 1, 2012 by
By Joseph Fahim/ Daily News Egypt
A strong vibe of comfort, of serenity and reassurance, radiates from its frames. The fascinating, elusive subject matter of the documentary, the vast picturesque green vistas of the southern grazing lands captured so lovingly, so reverently, by the poised, perceptive lens, and the patient narrative that is thoughtful and romantic in parts yet alarmingly realistic in others render “Buck” a quintessentially American film devoid of the many trappings of American films.
2 BUCK reviews
February 18, 2012 by
February 18, 2012
Rein and shine
theage.comAn abusive childhood is behind one man’s crusade for kindness, writes PAUL BYRNES.
Buck Brannaman is the cowboy who inspired The Horse Whisperer, the best-selling novel by English writer Nicholas Evans. Robert Redford based some of his performance as Tom Booker in the movie on his observation of Brannaman’s style, although Redford’s reaction on meeting him was that the guy was a fake. ”He looks like he’s got a costume on,” Redford said.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/rein-and-shine-20120216-1t9wa.html#ixzz1nUubrSAx
The real horse whisperer
Canberra TimesA new documentary tells the transformative story of a man who helps horses with people problems, Philip O’Brien writes
‘Often instead of helping people with horse problems, I’m helping horses with people problems.” Dan ”Buck” Brannaman is a 50-year-old American horse trainer from Sheridan, Wyoming. He spends nine months of the year on the road, conducting clinics which teach people to communicate with their horses through empathy rather than intimidation. He was one of several people who inspired the book and film The Horse Whisperer.
Movie Juice: MJ News Ep 306 interview with Renee Brack
February 16, 2012 by
Buck’s video interview starts with the trailer at 17:31 and continues through to 21:10.
We especially like when Buck says “Something I learned that I didn’t expect… doesn’t matter where you live – things that touch you in a spiritual way – we’re all the same”.
Buck Review in Australia’s theage.com
February 15, 2012 by
Buck is about so much more than horses, writes JIM SCHEMBRI
Softly spoken horse trainer Buck Brannaman is the quietly compelling subject of this lyrical, visually beautiful documentary by Cindy Meehl. She spent more than two years following Buck and capturing what goes on his “clinics”, which are as much about training people as they are about horses. Buck is big on seeing animals as reflections of the people who own them, so his attention is often on issues of earning respect and authority through firmness rather than demanding obedience through harshness. His background as an abused child provides a powerful insight into his strength of character and the love he has for the foster mother who helped save him. The extraordinary sequence with the crazy horse illustrates Buck’s belief that animal behaviour tends to reflect the humans who own them.