The Horse Whisperer (1998)

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 Grace becomes withdrawn, suffering guilt and shame which show themselves in her bitterness toward her parents, Annie and Robert.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.

Many have already addressed the plot of this film, so I will not not go into detail. However, I feel compelled to touch upon the visual storytelling in this film.

Movies are first and foremost imagery. As many legendary filmmakers have said, a good film can be watched with the sound turned off and still communicate every bit of the story and emotion through the images alone. This includes cinematography but goes light years beyond lighting and framing a scene. Each shot must be planned and designed, from sets to props to location scouting, from blocking the actors' movements to using color and shapes, textures, and spatial relationships. All these must communicate the text and subtext simultaneously.

I said all that to say this: Redford and his team blew me away with "The Horse Whisperer." The first act alone is filled with enough information in every corner of the screen to chew on for days. One example among dozens is the use of symmetry, parallel lines, and perpendicularity in the city scenes even in the arrangement of books in the background, pens on a desk, or the window blinds in a hospital to convey the superficially ordered control of Anne's life. This is contrasted with the organic sweeping curves of the farm landscapes where Grace's accident occurs. The confined spaces and straight streets of New York are gradually and gracefully replaced with the curves of the highways as Anne drives west until she reaches the Rockies in all their chaotically ingenious immensity.

And apart from all this, I was also deeply effected emotionally by this movie. Yes, it takes its time telling the story. But such stories in our own lives take time to unfold. And real, subtle moments deserve as much time to play out as they need. Grace's recovery from the death of her friend and the injuries to the body and spirit of herself and her faithful horse Pilgrim are also expertly crafted. It has personal resonance in my family because we faced many of the same trials and frustrations when my wife was injured by a tornado a year after we married. She was touched and encouraged by this film.

Thomas Newman's score is his masterwork. It brought me to tears during the end credits.

Grace is also perfectly portrayed by the then-unknown Scarlett Johansson. Most people seem to forget she was in "The Horse Whisperer," but I will always associate this film with Scarlett and her with it.

Buy The Horse Whisperer (1998) Now

The Horse Whisperer is sucha beautiful film it takes your breath away. The film's stunning cinematography, it's awesome acting and great storyline make it a 4 star movie and one of the best of 1998.

Scarlett Johnasson is the star of the show, she plays 14 year old Grace, a horse-lover who has just had a terrible accident with her friend. Her mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) helps her daughter and her horse, Pilgrim by taking her to a 'horse whisperer '(Robert Redford) who can heal horses.

This is a very sad, beautiful and lovely movie and don't be put off by it's mammoth length (2 hours, 48 minutes) to me it felt like 1 hour rather than 3.

Read Best Reviews of The Horse Whisperer (1998) Here

"The Horse Whisperer" is unlike any other movie that I've seen. The story opens as a young girl, Grace, experiences a terrible accident while riding her horse, Pilgrim, on an icy road. Driven mad by shock and pain, Pilgrim is almost to the point of death. Grace is also in critical condition, for she has badly injured her right leg in the accident, and it must be amputated. Grace's mother Annie (Kristin Scott Thomas) reads about a man named Tom Booker (Robert Redford) who is known as a "horse whisperer," able to communicate and see into the troubled souls of these animals. A few days later, Annie, along with her hesitant daughter and Pilgrim in tow, sets out for Montana. There, at Mr. Booker's ranch, do you witness the amazing changes that occur as Tom begins to heal Pilgrim's spirit (along with Grace's). Soon after, Annie and Tom fall in love. The rest of the story unfolds in a symphonic display of love, hope, and miraculous recoveries. The film's ending is not your typical movie closing, but it is very good nonetheless. The beautiful Montana landscape adds to this special aura, and the characters are brilliant (both human and equine). I highly recommend this excellent movie to absolutely anyone. You'll fall in love with "The Horse Whisperer."

Want The Horse Whisperer (1998) Discount?

This is a unique movie from the millions of others out there. The plot starts with Grace(Scarlett Johansson) and her best friend meeting to go horse back riding and with Grace's mom Annie (Kristin Scott Thomas) working hard in her magazine office. When the girls are riding a tramatic and tragic accident happens causing the death of Grace's best friend and severe injuries to both Grace and her horse Pilgrim. Grace's right leg is severely hurt so they must amputate it. With her daughter becoming more distant from the family and Pilgrim becoming more afraid of humans, Annie is desperate to find relief or an answer somewhere. She reads an article about a horse whisperer named Tom Booker (Robert Redford) who heals horses. Anxious to give it a try, Annie, Grace, and Pilgrim travel from their home in New York to a cattle ranch in Montana and begin Pilgrim's healing process while Grace's father stays behind. What no one expected was the love situation that would come about when Tom and Annie met. Combined with a teriffic plot and the beautiful Montana scenery, this is definitely a movie not to be missed.

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