PARK CITY — (U.S. Documentary Competition) A quietly captivating portrait of an unlikely character,

“Buck” is as modest as its subject and wins viewers over just as easily. Holding strong appeal in the nonfiction arena, the pic could be a hit for distribs who manage to book it into Middle-American markets where few docs fear to tread.

Buck Brannaman, who inspired The Horse Whisperer, proves as impressively gifted in reality as any fictionalized version could be — and even, though his not-quite-handsome face would never compete with Robert Redford‘s, possessed of an undeniable magnetism. A quiet man who almost seems to mind-meld with horses, he makes no secret of the belief that his training helps both horse and owner.  Read complete Hollywood Reporter review…

Thompson On Hollywood

Sundance Festival and Channel founder Robert Redford opened up the Fest with his customary press conference, where he talked about new Sundance initiatives and Slamdance. As a big supporter of the doc Buck, about the original inspiration for his film The Horse Whisperer, it was no surprise when the film sold to Sundance Selects. Read complete article at Thompson on Hollywood…

Cindy Meehl: This first-time filmmaker came to Sundance with U.S. Documentary Competition entry Buck, a cinematic doc which follows Buck Brannaman, the cowboy who inspired The Horse Whisperer. It was quickly scooped up by IFC Films’ sister division Sundance Selects. Connecticut-based Meehl met Brannaman at one of his horse clinics in 2003 and learned about his troubled childhood and transformed life.  Read complete Deadline.com article

See interview of Buck Brannaman and director, Cindy Meehl.

Horse trainer Buck Brannaman is an American original, and director Cindy Meehl captures Brannaman’s philosophy of gentle horse training by catching him at work on one of his many horse clinics. The movie delves into Brannaman’s childhood horrors, his bond with his horse-savvy daughter Reata, and how he consulted author Nicholas Evans and director Robert Redford for the book and movie of “The Horse Whisperer.”  Read complete Salt Lake Tribune Review

Sundance 2011 – Buck

Posted By Neil Matsumoto

Horse trainer Buck Brannaman in Buck (photo by Emily Knight)

The first film I’ve seen at this year’s Sundance Film Festival is Buck, a documentary in U.S. Competition directed by Cindy Meehl. Real-life cowboy Buck Brannaman is considered a living legend in the horse world and was the real-life inspiration for The Horse Whisperer, which was directed by Sundance founder Robert Redford, who is also interviewed in the film.  Read more…

‘BUCK’ a documentary with plainspoken power

Sometimes a film comes along that answers a question that you didn’t realize you had. At the Sundance Film Festival this year, that movie is “Buck,” an exceptional slice of Americana about the charismatic real-life horse whisperer, an earthy, soft-spoken philosopher who can tame troubled souls, be they man or beast. Read Los Angeles Times article…