Redford Handles the Reigns as the "Horse Whisperer"
Hope, tragedy, and renewal are the tender elements that make up "The Horse Whisperer", a thoughtful story that explores family, mature love, and adult emotions. Robert and Annie MacLean (Sam Neill and Kristin Scott Thomas), though married, seem like a distant couple. The father lives on a sprawling ranch with daughter Grace. Meanwhile, Annie lives in the big city, is a frenzied editor of a major magazine, and has an obsession with being in control. A harrowing riding accident almost kills young Grace (Scarlett Johansson) and her beloved horse Pilgrim. Although they both survive, their emotional wounds are far worse than the physical damage that they have suffered. The horse becomes fearful and jilted. Meanwhile, Grace experiences profound indifference and withdraws to the point where she believes that not only Pilgrim should be put down to save him from the anguish that he is suffering but that also she should be put down as well.
Robert believes the doctors when they say that time heals all, but Annie is not one to sit still. She feels that every moment they waste, the further Grace will regress. Having researched many equestrian-related journals, she reads about a man named Tom Booker (Robert Redford), a Horse Whisperer who is a gifted sage that can help horses who have suffered the same problems as Pilgrim. Annie decides to seek him out and makes the long journey to Montana with her now-contentious daughter and Pilgrim in tow. She hopes that if Mr. Booker can cure Pilgrim, Annie will regain her spirit as well. She also hopes that this experience will bring the two of them closer together.
Redford agrees to help, but not unless Grace also gets involved. Using what seems like nothing more than patience and love, both Pilgrim and Grace begin to respond. Grace slowly comes out of her cocoon. She begins to accept her situation, allows herself to mourn her loss and develops a closer tie to her estranged mom. Meanwhile, another plot begins to unfold as Tom and Annie slowly fall in love with one another. His tenderness, good-looks, and the allure of the open skies and picturesque landscape of the Montana frontier begins to break down Annie's need for control and she finds herself feeling a renewed sense of love. Like Grace, Annie will have to ask herself to make some tough choices about what she wants.
Considering the fact that Redford is in his 60s and Thomas is in her 40s, this is nothing short of a grown-up love story. It is honest and sincere in it's exploration of dysfunctional relationships and the responsibilities and duties that come with family. Spanning 160-minutes in length, the film develops slowly as it pays respect to the kind of relationships that can not develop in a short period of time. Johannson gives a worthy performance as the troubled youth trying to regain her spirit and Thomas is cast well as the woman who tries to balance passion with responsibility. To sit through this without fidgeting, you'll need the patience of a Horse Whisperer. But Redford understands the charm of the west, the importance of life, and the nuances of adult relationships.
Grade: B
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