Buck

There is an unquestionable decency about Buck Brannaman that imbues every scene of the documentary about the iconic horse-trainer. Brannaman was the model for The Horse Whisperer, and in Buck, you can see not only how he gains the trust and respect of unbroken horses, but also how he learned to trust other people. A childhood victim of constant physical and emotional abuse, Buck was something of a star trick roper when the cameras were rolling, but little more than his father’s punching bag when they weren’t. That he has lived a fairly normal life since is commendable; that he uses his past to teach patience and love to horses and their riders is about the best way that story could turn out. Buck is a fascinating character study of a man who’s brimming with it.