Buck (2011) is a story about love. The unconditional love between a man and his horse. Not to be dismissed as the archetypal tale of the regular cowboy, Buck's story is distinguished by his ability to love horses enough to make them companions rather than slaves, despite the hardships he faced in his childhood.
Gentle yet assertive, firm yet loving, Buck delivers a poignant account of his life and takes us through his journey in mastering the art of training horses. Using his emotive mantra "Your horse is a mirror to your soul," Buck travels from state to state delivering powerful messages at his horse-training clinics in America. the rapport he immediately builds with the most troublesome horses is mirrored only by the rapport he builds with anyone he comes across. His gentle manner is enviable, his soft voice surprisingly self- assured.
Buck's life has not always been easy. Growing up, he lost his mother at a very tender age, and he and his brother had to go into foster care as a result of their father's alcoholism and constant abuse. However, Buck (2011) is not the story of a victim, but that of a hero.
Throughout the film, Buck's philosophy is clear: Life is too short to live in the past, and all our interactions, be it with humans or animals, is a delicate concoction of give and take. With the support and love of his wife and daughter, who is set to follow in his very successful footsteps, Buck seems to have it all, yet speaks with the humility of someone who has nothing.
Whether you are a horse lover or not, this film will communicate to you in a special way-a way only Buck can.
