After a devastating riding accident, a young girl (Scarlet Johansson) and her beloved horse (High Tower) are both left with serious physical and emotional scars. Determined to help, the girl's desperate mother (Kristen) puts her busy, big city life on hold and travels west to seek out the horse whisperer. When she meets this rugged, down to earth rancher (Robert), she discovers his extraordinary gift with animals also touches the lives of people around him.
Featuring Hollywood favourites Sam Neill and Oscar winner Dianne Wiest in a superb cast - critics and moviegoers alike were captivated by this powerful motion picture event.
Special Agent Matti
This is a long film about horses and people who love horses and people who love people who love horses. There are lots of slow motion shots and backlit shots and running through streams and wide open spaces shots. There are broken goods of a variety of sorts, both from the city and the country.
While the pace never gets above a gentle trot and there are a lot of times when nothing seems to be happening, that needs to be seen as a stylistic thing. This is not an action flick, it's a study in human relationships against the background of horses.
Everyone acts well, the script is good, the relationships believable, the tensions subtle but human. While this film is very suitable for teenage girls and mothers, my guy flatmate also found it very touching. I have ridden horses a couple of times before, but that's as close as I'll get to having a relationship with one, so this was not really my cup of tea. Everyone else in this house liked it though.
It's a good movie, worth watching, but I warn you that the accident is pretty full on.
M (Adult themes)
163 minutes
VHS retail: 3 November 1999
DVD retail: 9 April 2003
VHS retail: 9 April 2003