In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

The movie Buck is a documentary made by Cindy Meehl. The movie talks about the life and story of the man, Buck Brennaman, with the woes and hardships that he has had to face. When you first watch this movie, you don't really know what you're getting into. You may be asking the words "why am I watching this?". The summary on netflix says its a documentary that talks about a man who the "horse whisperer" was named after. That's weird. If that didn't raise some red flags, I doubt the rest of this review will be helpful to you. You probably don't even like horses that much.But you got started. You're watching this 50 year old man, saddle up, and talk about horses. There are so many questions running through your mind. However, you watch it through, and in the end you feel some sort of way. Something you haven't felt in a while, and you don't know how you feel about it. I'm here to explain it to you. Here's how it goes.The plot is talking about his life (duh. its a documentary. (Just listen...)). It is a saddening childhood, that certainly left me feeling as if I was heartbroken. Abusive relationship, dead guardian angel. The sadness felt in the movie was astonishing; It was not something you would expect from a documentary about horses. However, there is an underlying theme throughout the story, and the real protagonist was there all along. The protagonist is the horse. What is a horse, and what are they considered? Are they lowlier than us? Are they better? Are they meant to be kept like a dog is? The answer is confusing.Brannanman has many beliefs of horses. He believes that they are the ones that are extensions of yourself; that they are supposed to be loved like a family member, and that "the horse is a mirror of your soul", as if they reflect themselves through you. He goes on to state that a horse is supposed to be an extension of your body and you should be able to control it like anything else in your body. However, in the end, Buck breaks horses in for a living. He makes sure that a horse knows that they are the pets. Colts (young horses) are exactly like children. They are the ones that have to be broken in, and showed that they are not superior to the human in anyway. The 3 year old horse in the movie is the perfect example of this. The horse was oxygen deprived at birth. It was in need of dire help at birth due to the circumstances at its birth, but it wasn't given it. It was supposed to be a link and mirror of the owner, but it wasn't. In the end, it was just put down like the rest of the lowly animals that don't behave. Buck's ideology is interesting. He says that a horse is supposed to be like a human, but a human would never be put down just because it didn't listen.Buck's ideology is interesting. It is not concrete, but it is interesting. He tries to practice as he teaches, but he contradicts himself along the way. This documentary was definitely interesting, and I would recommend it to most, just due to the amazing struggles that Buck had to face, and to see someone come from the bottom of despair like that is amazing. However, if you wanted to get into the theological points of view of the story, I would disagree with this being a good watch.

From the start of the documentary, Buck's calm, quiet, and humble demeanor captures our attention. His low voice encourages you to edge your seat forward, just so you can hear what he's saying-almost as if he's whispering a secret into your ear. Buck maintains eye contact with horses more than he does with people, simply because he understands them better. He cares for them, nurtures them, and loves them with all his heart, so much so that he sacrifices family time for a life of solitude so that he can hold clinics across the country. Buck is truly an inspiring person. No matter how violent a colt may be when entering his clinic, Buck is always able to build a rapport with it without the use of words. He comforts and pets the horse, almost as if to say, "You're okay. Don't be afraid to let your walls down." Buck is able to show the horses that he is there to love them and that no one is there to hurt them. He even patiently ushers a violent, uncooperative 3 year old horse into the truck. Buck wants people to be able to relate to the horse before asking the horse to do something for them. He wants to help build strong and understanding relationships between horses and people. Buck's clinics not only show how people should treat horses, but also reveal how this is about a person's life and the people in it. Buck shows others how there is always an alternative path-whether it be the way a person treats a horse or the choices a person makes in his/her life. Buck grew up with an abusive father, but refused to grow up like him. Although this seems like a gruesome childhood, Buck never needed the sympathy of others-not even when his foster father handed him a pair of beautiful working gloves the very first day he arrived. Buck shows that like people, horses are vulnerable and are capable of shutting down. He says that usually, it is the human who fails the horse through neglect and mistreatment. Towards the end of the movie, Buck regards the unfortunate event between the violent horse and its crestfallen owner, "A horse is a mirror-a mirror into your soul." This quote is truly breathtaking because it shows that not only are the participants learning about the horse, but the horse is also teaching the participants aspects about themselves that they may not realize until someone breaks the truth to them. He opens the public's eyes to how a person and a horse can become so incredibly connected that they become one mind and one body. By simply leaning back and forth atop a horse, Buck is proof that people can gain the full cooperation of a horse without a single touch! Buck's voice and actions will seize your attention the way they did with mine.

Buck Brannaman changes the way people care for their horses. Growing up as a young child Buck was put to preform with his brother Smokey as professional trick ropers by their abusive father. When their mother died the abuse grew and their protector was gone. Buck and Smokey moved in with foster parents who changed the way they grew up and the values they obtained. Buck was able to channel these values into the way he held clinics for horses. The man had a passion, he used this passion to alter the way he treated his clients and their valuable horses. It was emotional for Buck's friends to see his scars at a very young age when reluctant Buck would not unchanged and shower when the coach commanded in the locker room. This understanding extends to the level of respect, not pity, Buck receives as a so called "horse whisperer". Although, Buck controls horses through his gentle kindness, not once does he "whisper" to the horses he mentors. "There is a difference between firm and hard," Buck proclaims as hosting a clinic. His knowledgeable wisdom comes from the pain he experienced as an abused child. He learned form his past and channels it into the way he leads his clinics. "Live in the moment,... you can't live in two places at once." In an interview with Annette Venteicher she stresses the need to change the way horses are being treated, "horses are put into forced positions that their neither mentally or physically prepared to handle." All around this is a documentary that follows the background story of Buck Brannaman as he passes on his knowledge and wisdom of mentoring horses and the connection they have with their owners. "Why let an animal live in fear, why not fix it."

"Buck" is glimpse into the life of the often enigmatic horse-trainer Buck Brannaman. The film explores the former child star's dark past and the horse training genius he has become. Despite the darker themes of Buck's past, the film is pretty lighthearted. Director Cindy Meehl manages to tell a fantastic story, and though the film runs a bit lengthy at 88 minutes it never fails to keep the audience entertained as Meehl paints a near-masterful picture of a man and his troubled past. Buck's no nonsense attitude shines through and he truly steals the show (though I guess it is his show). The only gripe I have is that I didn't get to see more of Buck; an hour and a half left me wanting to learn more about Buck. I guess that's a product of a job well done.