The Horse Whisperer

The Horse Whisperer (1998)

  • 73% of critics liked it
    (56 reviews)

  • 70% of users liked it
    (50,642 ratings)

Robert Redford directed himself for the first time in this romantic drama adapted from the 1995 best-seller by Nicholas Evans. Fourteen-year-old Grace MacLean (Scarlett Johansson of Manny & Lo) and her friend Judith go horseback riding in upstate New York on a winter morning, but their horses lose… More

PG-13,
Directed By
Written By
Richard LaGravenese, Eric Roth
Genres
Western, Drama, Romance
In Theaters
May 15, 1998 Wide
Buena Vista Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Todd McCarthy, Variety

    Directing himself for the first time, Redford has lavished his usual meticulous care on popular material that comes alive on the screen in ways that it never could on the page.

  • Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

    This has loads of craft and honor but never quite takes off.

  • Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

    We are not talking postmodern or even modern here, but the best kind of old-fashioned.

  • , Time Out

    It's a film-maker's love letter to himself.

  • Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

    That lack of identifiable passion is The Horse Whisperer's most vexing problem.

Read all 18 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Red L


    Lets see... I enjoyed the acting - including a young Scarlett Johansson. The story is good. Scenery is wonderful. I took off a star as the movie was an hour too long - especially if you are watching it on TV with commercials.

  • Jason O


    Lots of people don't like this movie, but I've always been a sucker for a tear jerker drama film, and this is one of them. Redford's always been both a great actor and director. This is the first movie I think of when I think of him as a director. Awesome story… More

  • Lady D


    A young Scarlett Johansson plays a good role in a story that has more depth to it that the title suggest. It does essentially lead to a love story, but the film is very long and the love story is not the main plot. With likable characters and stunning scenic views, The Horse… More

  • Candy R


    A mother hires a horsewhisper to heal her daughter's horse and in doing so repairs the relationships in the family. Good cast, including a young Scarlett Johansson.

  • Dean M


    This isn't a film, it's a symphony: a magnificent project that perfectly suits Robert Redford's taste, style, and abilities. The subsequent romantic overtures between these two adults from different worlds play out against the Herculean task of helping the tormented… More

Read all 16 featured audience ratings

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Cast

See more (15)