Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The Horse Whisperer is not a typical Hollywood movie. But then, none of the films Redford has directed, are in any way typical. The first time I really took notice of his work, was after seeing "A River Runs Through It". He had managed to tell a brutal, sad story in a mystical way that held me spell-bound.
Whisperer takes that feeling one step further. It will hold you and then squeeze your heart till the tears come. This is not a sad film however. It is the story of a spiritual journey that a family makes with the aid of a talented guide, Tom Booker, (played by Redford himself). Each of them takes their own paths but make it through some trying times, emerging stronger than when they began.
The story gets going as a result of a terrible accident involving two young girls who are out riding in icy, lightly forested terrain. The lone survivor, Grace, is traumatised by the loss of her friend, her foot and, in another way, her horse Pilgrim. Not that Pilgrim was killed, despite the wishes of the local veterinarian, but it was not the same, sane horse that it had been.
The normal tensions that existed within the family are magnified by the aftermath of the accident. Grace becomes withdrawn, suffering guilt and shame which show themselves in her bitterness toward her parents, Annie and Robert. At the same time she makes a connection between herself and Pilgrim. The horse's fate seems to be a grim portent of her own future; scarred, maddened and kept in a dark and lonely place.
Annie's desperate search for a treatment for Pilgrim is therefore very understandable. She hopes to build a bridge back to the world for her daughter, by healing Pilgrim. Here enters the almost magical legend of the Horse Whisperers. A breed of men, so in tune with horses, that they are said to be able to talk with them... to look into the soul of the beast and calm its raging spirit.
Tom Booker seems to have a healthy scepticism for the legend however and makes his down to earth philosophy pretty clear from the first moment when we hear him say, " Well truth is, I help horses with people problems."
Despite Tom and Robert's reluctance, Annie drags Grace from her pit of despair, to cross the country on the slim hope of making everything right again, on a Montana ranch, with a little help from a horse whisperer. Her expectation are rudely shattered within hours of arriving. Tom doesn't act like a paid specialist. From the outset it is clear to him that young Grace needs as much healing as Pilgrim. And this is a load he seems more than capable of bearing.
By now we are well and truly hooked by the story. But the best is yet to come. Redford clearly loves the great outdoors and his feeling shouts from the big screen. Montana must be God's own country because it is breathtaking. Now add a dash of wholesome family values, good old hard work, reluctant romance and a pinch of equine shamanism and you've got something special.
The Horse Whisperer is a movie that makes you feel like dozing in the long grass, on a lazy Summer afternoon. Don't be afraid of grass stains; go see this unusual film and have a roll in the grass for me.
Click Here to see more reviews about: The Horse Whisperer (1998)
Academy Award(R)-winner Robert Redford (Best Director, 1980, ORDINARY PEOPLE) stars with Adademy Award(R)-nominee Kristin Scott Thomas (Best Actress, 1996, THE ENGLISH PATIENT) in this landmark epic adapated from one of the most acclaimed novels of our time! After a devastating riding accident, a young girl and her beloved horse are both left with serious physical and emotional scars. Determined to help, the girl's desperate mother (Thomas) puts her busy, big-city life on hold and travels west to seek out the "Horse Whisperer." When she meets this rugged, down-to-earth rancher (Redford), she discovers his extraordinary gift with animals also touches the lives of the people around him! Featuring Hollywood favorites Sam Neill (JURASSIC PARK) and Oscar(R)-winner Dianne Wiest (Best Supporting Actress, 1994, BULLETS OVER BROADWAY) in a superb cast -- critics and moviegoers alike were captivated by this powerful motion picture event!
Click here for more information about The Horse Whisperer (1998)
0 comments:
Post a Comment