The Horse Whisperer (1998)
Director: Robert Redford Cast: Robert Redford, Kristin Scott Thomas, Sam Neill, Scarlett Johansson, Dianne Wiest, Chris Cooper, Cherry Jones Screenplay: Richard LaGravenese, Eric Roth Producers: Patrick Markey, Robert Redford Runtime: 168 min. US Distribution: Buena Vista Pictures Rated PG-13: brief violence
By Nathaniel R. Atcheson (nate@pyramid.net)
I grew up around horses, but I never paid any attention to them. That was for girls, I thought, though my mother and sister frequently tried to get me to ride their horses. I would watch them from my bedroom window on occasion, and the only thing I could ever think about was how intensely boring it seemed. The horses certainly didn't look happy, and the few times I did actually attempt to ride, the only thing I got from it was a throbbing sensation in places where throbbing sensations are not welcome.
I was mildly interested in seeing The Horse Whisperer, but not because of the horses. I wanted to see it because of its stars, Robert Redford and Kristin Scott Thomas. It turns out, though, that I had developed a sense of respect for horses through all those years of idly watching them carry around the female members of my family. I'm fairly certain that Redford, who also directed, intended the audience members to observe the horses in this film as characters. I think he succeeded, not only in this arena, but in many others -- The Horse Whisperer is a visually stunning film, and often a moving human drama.
The film opens with tragedy: young Grace MacLean (Scarlett Johansson) and her friend are riding their horses on the icy countryside outside of New York; they stumble onto the road, where a truck barrels into them, killing Grace's friend and seriously injuring Grace's horse, Pilgrim. We then meet Grace's mother, Annie (Kristin Scott Thomas) and father, Robert (Sam Neill), a couple whom, we suspect, are married out of convenience. Grace recovers from the accident, but has her right leg amputated; from then on, she's a somber and extremely depressed girl.
Although Pilgrim's injuries are severe, and the horse seems to have undergone intense psychological torture, Annie refuses to let the horse be put down. She seeks out a man known to do miracles with horses; his name is Tom Booker (Redford). She takes Grace and the horse and drives out to his ranch in Montana, at which point Tom begins working with Pilgrim, even though the horse seems beyond help.
Perhaps the best thing about The Horse Whisperer is Redford's directing and imagery. Even without a story and characters, this film would have been breathtaking to behold. The opening credits roll simultaneously with incredible footage of horses dashing about on what look to be sand dunes; the colors are dark and full, the horses are silhouettes, and the moment is beautiful. Many scenes in the film have this quality -- there are several shots of things that just look nice and have nothing to do with the story directly, but add perfectly to the quiet and subtle tone of the film. It's a long picture, and Redford's direction is perfectly paced: the film never gets boring or loses the audience.
Almost equaling Redford's near-perfect visuals are the performances, particularly from the two leading females. Thomas is a beautiful, commanding actress, and though this is only the second film I've had the pleasure of seeing her in (the other being The English Patient), she proves in just two roles that she has the rare capacity to hold an entire film together by sheer force of talent. Young Scarlett Johansson is equally good; this is a fantastic performance, especially when considering the actress' age. Redford is also good, though he slightly underplays his character in parts. Sam Neill is, unfortunately, not used to his full abilities (with the exception of one wonderful scene towards the end in which he has a serious talk with his wife).
I enjoyed The Horse Whisperer, but my main complaint lies in the script, which feels sloppy at times. There are a few scenes here -- like an important moment between mother and daughter -- that seem to fall flat because of dialogue, or characterizations, or both. Grace's dialogue, for instance, is far too sharp for a girl her age; and, at times, the dynamics between Tom and Annie are nebulous when they need to be more clear. The overall focus is also skewed between many things: Grace's struggle with Pilgrim, the mother/daughter relationship, and the Tom/Annie relationship. All of these are well-developed, but after leaving the film, I wasn't sure what was supposed to be central. I am thankful that Redford steered clear of manipulation (though there are scenes clearly intended to be tear-jerkers), but the ending seems an unlikely solution to the situation.
All in all, I highly recommend the film, for I imagine most people will enjoy it thoroughly. There is a lot to admire here, from the truly astonishing imagery to the first-class performances and cast. It's a moving film that works on many levels, and just barely escapes the greatness it might have achieved with a few script changes and a more objective editing job. On a personal level, the film forced me to notice horses in a way I never did while growing up with them, and I think that many people might get the same feelings I did out of Redford's insightful vision.
*** out of **** (7/10, B)
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Nathaniel R. Atcheson
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