BUCKreview

ThefirstimpressionIgotafterIreadtheintroductionaboutBUCK,Iwasn’tattracted.Ididn’treallycareaboutahorsewhisperer.AndIkeptwonderinghowthedirectorhadpitchedtotheproducers,sinceitriskedbeinglikeapersonalcommercial.BesidesIdon’tdohorseridingandknownexttonothingaboutit.Butafterwatchingit,Irealizedthefilmisnotreallyabouthorses.Bucksaiditatthebeginningofthefilm:“Alotoftimes,ratherthanhelpingpeoplewithhorseproblems,I’mhelpinghorseswithpeopleproblems.”AsthedirectorCindyMeehlsaid,BUCKisahumanstory.Itrelatestotheaudiencewhoevertheyareandwhethertheylikehorseornot.AndIbelievegooddocumentariesareaboutpeople,aboutpeople’sconditions,aboutpeople’sstrugglesandhowtheytrytogetoutofplight.BUCKisoneofthem.ThewholefilmtellsushowBuckhandlesthenegativelegacyhisfatherlefthiminhisboyhoodandhowhetreatshorsesinhisspecialway.Italsotellsabouthisfamily,hisrelationshipwithhiswifeandcharmingdaughter.Thesethemesrelatetoeveryone.LetalonepeopleinAmericalovetotalkabouttraumaandtolearnstoriesabouttherapeuticjourney.SoBUCK,whichisessentiallyaboutpeopledealingwithtraumaandcreatinggoodlegacy,wasverymuchlikelytobecomeahit.Generallythecinematographicstyleiscinémavérité,nothingreallyspecial.ButIlikeitthatalmostallinterviewsweresetinsituations–onthepasture,nearatruck,athome–whichreflectedtheidentitesoftheintervieweesinsteadofinsidedraboffices.Atthebeginningofthefilm,Bucksays,“I’mheadingofftomyoffice.”Andtheranchishisoffice.Ienjoythemusic,too.Whetheritisthework-like-a-charmwesterncountrymusicorthecelloplaying,itcollaberateswiththescenesverywell.Thefilmmakersalsohadsomeluck.Neartheendingofthedocumentary,Buckhadtodealwithahorsewhosebrainhadbeendamagedatbirth.Hepointedouttothehorse’sfemaleownerthathesawalotofherownproblemsfromthehorse.Theowneradmittedinfrontofthecameraandcried.Thiswasn’teasytocapture.IthinkthismakesthefilmstrongerintermsofshowinghowBuckcanreadpeoplethroughtheirhorsesandhowhereallyishelpinghorseswithpeopleproblems.ManohlaDargisofNewYorkTimescalledBuck’sapproachtohorses“Zen-like”.Idon’tagreewiththisstatement.HoweveritdidremindmethatHannahArendtoncewrote:“Powerandviolenceareopposites;wheretheonerulesabsolutely,theotherisabsent.”AlthoughtherelationshipbetweenBuckandthehorsesisnotnecessarilyaboutpowerandcontrol,Buckseemsmoremesmerizingthanhispeersbecauseherefusestoresorttoviolencewhilemostofhispeersdo.Buckwrotealettertohisabusivefather.“Idon’twantyoutodiethinkingthatIhateyou.Youremydadandbecauseofthatthere’llalwaysbeabondbetweenus.IwantyoutoknowthatIforgiveyouandIdon’tholdanyhardfeelings.Youmademistakes,butthosearethingsyouhavetolivewith.ButyouremydadandIstillloveyouasmydad.”PeoplewouldassumeBuckresentedhisfather.ButBuckwasn’tholdinggrudges.DavidEdelsteinofNPRwroteafilmreviewaboutBUCK,inwhichhestated:“Ourtherapeuticcultureislousywithstoriesofpeoplestrugglingtospinchildhoodtraumasintosomethingpositive,somethingthatleavestheworldabetterplacethantheonethatdamagedthem.”ThatBuckdidn’tmakeabigdealofthepainfulpast,didn’tbabbleabouthisfather’sabusesmakesthehistorymoreheartrending,Ibelieve.Painsaremorepainfulifpresentedwithsilence.AlsotherecountingofhowBuckandhisbrotherhadbeentreatedbyhisfatheralsoremindsmeofthedad-beat-childrensceneinLASTTRAINHOME.IwouldsaybeatingchildrenisnotuncommoninChina,whereIcamefrom.Butfrommyperspective,alotofparentsdothatbecausetheyareusingchildrentoventtheirownpainfromsufferings.Thoseparentswhoarenotdoingwell,whoserightsareencroachedupon,whosufferinjusticemorelikelywillbeabusiveoftheirchildren.SoI’dreallyliketoknowwhyAcehadbeensocrueltohischildren.PersonallyIfeelthatthefailuretotalktoBuck’sfatherisapityforthefilm.(Itdidn’ttellmewhetherAcediedornot.)