BUCK and A BETTER LIFE: Small films, big hearts

Looking for alternatives to the misbehaving bosses, teachers, and robots Hollywood is dishing out these days? Here’s two new movies that fall into the “obscure but special” category, which those of us living in the greater NYC area are lucky to have access to (and if you can’t get to them, add them to your DVD rental queue). Read on to see if either of these films are for you.

Buck
Directed by Cindy Meehl
Starring Buck Brannaman

What is Buck about?

This 90-minute lyrical documentary tells the life story of Dan “Buck” Brannaman, a fiftysomething horse trainer who has a special outlook on horses and humans. His method of “starting horses” via empathy and communication became an inspiration for the mid-’90s book and movie The Horse Whisperer. (The documentary’s talking head shots of Robert Redford have a real zing to them—both for his low-key star power and for the sincere awe and respect he has for Buck.) The movie reaches back to the cowboy’s childhood—where Buck and his brother were famous child rodeo performers living in abject fear of their domineering, abusive father—for explanations of how he became the man he is today, offering many startling and poignant moments.

What makes Buck special?

Buck Brannaman is a bit of a Zen master, full of observations about human- and horse-kind. At the same time he has a charming self-deprecating sense of humor that masks a suppressed angst. That, along with the quiet pride he shows in his horse-loving teen-aged daughter and, of course, the amazing connection he has with equines, make him a fascinating and sympathetic subject for a movie. Note that you don’t have to love horses to be intrigued by the film’s depiction of the intense Western-style horse training subculture. It’s a rare peek into a unique world.

Who made Buck?

Buck is the passion project of clothes designer-turned-director Cindy Meehl, who saw Buck Brannaman in action and felt his story and training techniques needed to be recorded. Meehl (or her cinematographer) capture some beautiful shots of the American west and of course the gorgeous animals that dominate Buck’s life and career. It must have been both surprising and highly satisfying to first-time filmmaker Meehl to win the 2011 Audience Favorite award at the recent Sundance Film Festival.

What’s not to like about Buck?

Some might find the movie a little slow and sleepy, with its reliance on repeated displays of horse gentling and Buck’s laconic pronouncements. Also, the exclusive focus on Buck leaves some open questions, such as how many others practice this kind of natural horsemanship (or is he the only one)? What happened to his father and his brother? Why does he stay out on the road 9 months a year? The lack of context and holes in the story are a little off-putting in hindsight, but at the time the emotional up-close and personal aspects of this documentary outweigh any questions you might have later.

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A Better Life
Directed by Chris Weitz
Starring Demian Bichir and José Julian

What is A Better Life about?

Ever wonder about the lives of the Spanish-speaking itinerant workers trimming our trees and building our stone walls? This movie gives you a glimpse into their world, via the dramatic story of Carlos Galindo, a rugged illegal immigrant, raising his son Luis in the Los Angeles barrio. Carlos has hopes and dreams for his business and his son, and we watch as he tries desperately to make them come true. There are more than a few clichés in this story but it also has some universal truths, and critics are comparing this film to the Italian classic The Bicycle Thief.

Who are the filmmakers behind this movie?

A Better Life is an interesting movie choice for director/producer Chris Weitz who has bounced around from the big Hollywood productions of Antz and Twilight: New Moon to smaller prestige projects like About a Boy and A Single Man (producer). Writer Eric Eason adapted the screenplay from a story by Roger L. Simon, the writer of Enemies: A Love Story. Weitz does a great job of showing both the characters and L.A. in a very specific, realistic light—rather like a good short story.

How are the actors in this movie?

The two lead actors make this movie. Demian Bechir, who has appeared as a scary druglord on Weeds and is a big movie star in Mexico, plays the humble Carlos with a huge heart and plain intelligence that is heartbreaking since it’s never enough to overcome his circumstances. It’s hard to take your eyes off him, and not just because you can see the handsomeness behind the scruff. The 14-year-old son, played by José Julian (a young Emilio Estevez lookalike), does a great job of playing a kid caught between two worlds: his father’s hardworking, decent one and America’s alluring criminal one. It takes a while but he captures our sympathy.

Will I need tissues?

Probably—for both movies.

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My Reel Answers column aims to boil down film reviewing to its essence: answering questions (without divulging key plot points) you might have about a popular movie before plunking down your hard-earned money to see it.

Please visit http://reelanswers.net to see past movies and DVDs I’ve reviewed, and let me know what questions you have about upcoming movies that I can answer. —Laura E. Kelly