---
title: "The Horse Whisperer"
year: 1998
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-horse-whisperer"
fi1m_id: "the-horse-whisperer"
imdb_id: "tt0119314"
tmdb_id: 547
wikidata_id: "Q1127424"
fi1m_score: 68
critics_score: 68
critics_reviews: 9
published: "2026-10-05T01:33:06.516455+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T01:33:07.018644+00:00"
region: "IL"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Horse Whisperer (1998)

Directed by Robert Redford · 2h 49m · Adventure, Drama, Romance

## Identity

The Horse Whisperer

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-horse-whisperer
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** the-horse-whisperer
- **IMDb ID:** tt0119314
- **TMDB ID:** 547
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1127424
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119314/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/547, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1127424

**Fi1m score: 68** · Critics 68 from 9 reviews

*In a sentence:* Robert Redford has all the time in the world, and expects us to have it too

> Robert Redford gives this romance care, strong performances and more time than it needs. Kristin Scott Thomas keeps the emotions credible, but 169 minutes is a long wait for a film this restrained.

## Synopsis

An accident leaves Grace MacLean (Scarlett Johansson) and her horse in need of help. Tom Booker (Robert Redford) becomes involved in their recovery, while Annie MacLean (Kristin Scott Thomas) tries to find a way forward. Grace has to face what has happened to her; Annie has difficulties of her own. Working to help the girl and the horse brings Annie and Tom closer together. The practical business of recovery becomes entangled with a romance that neither can approach without hesitation.

## Review

Robert Redford approaches *The Horse Whisperer* as though every difficult feeling deserves time to settle before anyone speaks. That seriousness is welcome in a romance, and the performances often reward it, but the film is too long for the story it has to tell. Adapted from Nicholas Evans’s novel by Richard LaGravenese and Eric Roth, it takes the difficulties of recovery seriously. At 169 minutes, however, its patience becomes a substantial demand on ours.

We were horrified by the opening accident. Its violence makes the subsequent need for care convincing, and that matters when the film begins asking us to accept a calmer pace. The shock stays with us through the quieter passages, giving the characters’ distress a weight that dialogue alone could not provide. Those early scenes also demonstrate a concentration that the film cannot sustain once the romance begins taking up more of its attention.

Kristin Scott Thomas supplies the friction the film needs as Annie MacLean. Her restraint suggests how much effort it takes to remain composed, and she makes the character’s vulnerability convincing without smoothing away her awkwardness. Scarlett Johansson, as Grace MacLean, keeps the recovery story focused on the person having to endure it. The performances give us good reasons to remain interested even when the screenplay has stopped finding fresh things for its characters to express.

Tom Booker is a less complicated character, and that gradually becomes a problem. Robert Redford fits the role comfortably, but Tom is so steadily reassuring that the film leaves us little to discover about him. The romance consequently feels uneven: his co-star supplies the uncertainty while he remains available to soothe it. We wanted him to be harder to read, especially in a film that spends so long waiting for people to acknowledge what they feel.

Robert Richardson’s cinematography gives the landscape enough prominence that the wish to linger there becomes understandable. The views remain worth looking at even when the drama has stopped moving. Jon Hutman’s production design sits quietly within those surroundings and never distracts attention from the actors. The care is evident, although the scenery sometimes holds our interest more successfully than the people standing in it.

The editing, credited to Hank Corwin, Freeman A. Davies and Tom Rolf, needs a firmer hand. The leisurely pace allows the actors room, but the romantic hesitation eventually becomes repetitive, with too little change to justify the time spent watching. Thomas Newman’s music supports the tenderness without making those stretches feel less prolonged. The screenplay also shares responsibility; simply shortening pauses would not solve the shortage of new things for Tom and Annie to discover about each other.

There is room in romantic drama for adults who do not instantly know what to say, and the film treats their uncertainty with respect. The trouble is that it keeps extending our wait after the performances have made their feelings clear. Kristin Scott Thomas gives patient admirers of the genre a reason to stay, though the length remains a considerable reservation. Come for the performances and scenery; do not expect the opening’s urgency to accompany them.

*Fi1m score 68, published 5 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews lean towards qualified approval, with praise clustering around the Montana scenery, the performances and the patient handling of the emotions. Critics who respond warmly find an old-fashioned romance that gives its characters’ feelings time to develop without forcing them. The opening accident also draws attention for its frightening intensity, while the casting of Redford and Kristin Scott Thomas earns approval. Across the accessible reviews, the film’s care and craftsmanship are more consistently admired than its storytelling.

Length and pacing account for the clearest reservations: several critics find the story too slight or slow to sustain the running time, particularly as the romance progresses. The spread is mostly between appreciative and mixed, with no outright negative verdict recorded. Eye for Film is notably more enthusiastic, singling out Scott Thomas’s emotional subtlety. Three reviews have insufficient accessible text to establish their reasoning, which limits how fully the apparent agreement can be described.

## Straight answers

**Is The Horse Whisperer worth watching?**

*The Horse Whisperer* is worth considering for patient admirers of romantic drama, and we score it 68 out of 100. Kristin Scott Thomas keeps the emotions credible, and the scenery rewards attention, but the romantic hesitation becomes repetitive. At 169 minutes, we find it asks for more patience than its story earns.

**How long is The Horse Whisperer, and what is it rated?**

*The Horse Whisperer* runs 2h 49m. It is an adventure and drama film.

**Where can I watch The Horse Whisperer in Israel?**

*The Horse Whisperer* is available to rent from Apple TV from ₪16.90. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How does The Horse Whisperer compare to Local Hero?**

*The Horse Whisperer* is a more solemn romance than [*Local Hero*](https://film.one/film/local-hero), which we recommend as the more rewarding gently paced choice. Both give their landscapes a persuasive role in reconsidering the life left behind. *Local Hero* offers humour around a coastal property deal; *The Horse Whisperer* concentrates on recovery and hesitant romance, with performances that cannot quite compensate for its length.

**Is The Horse Whisperer based on a true story or a book?**

*The Horse Whisperer* is adapted from Nicholas Evans’s novel, with a screenplay by Richard LaGravenese and Eric Roth. Knowing the book is not necessary to follow the story of recovery and romance. We find the film takes the difficulties of recovery seriously, though its romantic hesitation grows repetitive.

**What should I watch after The Horse Whisperer?**

After *The Horse Whisperer*, try [*Local Hero*](https://film.one/film/local-hero) (1983, Fi1m 86): Another landscape makes a persuasive case for reconsidering the life left behind. Then [*The Bridges of Madison County*](https://film.one/film/the-bridges-of-madison-county) (1995, Fi1m 84): An adult romance whose restraint gives ordinary encounters an unusually painful weight.

### Reviews we read (9)

- **The AV Club**, Joshua Klein (75/100, inferred): Klein finds the film haunting and beautiful, with a patient, emotionally unforced approach. He especially praises its striking landscapes and the frightening intensity of the opening accident. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-horse-whisperer-1798194791)
- **Empire**, Angie Errigo (70/100, inferred): Errigo finds it a beautifully crafted, moving old-fashioned romance, though its story is too slight for its length and its appeal is limited for younger viewers. She particularly praises the striking visuals and the poignancy of the country dance between Tom and Annie. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/horse-whisperer-review/)
- **Variety**, Todd McCarthy (70/100, inferred): McCarthy finds the film an intelligent, emotionally powerful and mature adaptation, though its length and restrained romance weaken its final stretch. He praises the performances, striking Montana visuals and careful direction for bringing the material vividly to life. [Read](https://variety.com/1998/film/reviews/the-horse-whisperer-redford-lassos-powerful-saga-1200453807/)
- **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The review text was unavailable, so its verdict cannot be determined. No praise or complaint could be verified from the accessible page. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-horse-whisperer-1998)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The page content is inaccessible, so the critic’s verdict cannot be established. The URL headline suggests a focus on healing a girl, her horse, and her mother, but specific praise or criticism cannot be verified. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/15/movies/film-review-healing-a-girl-her-horse-and-maybe-even-her-mother.html)
- **Time Out**, TCh (64/100, inferred): The available text is too limited to establish the critic’s overall verdict. It describes Redford’s character as an idealised figure, but the review’s specific praise or complaint is not available. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-horse-whisperer)
- **Radio Times**, Adrian Turner (3/5): Turner’s review is appreciative of the casting, saying Redford suits the role and Kristin Scott Thomas is a natural choice. He singles out the opening accident as horrifying to watch. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-roff6g/the-horse-whisperer/)
- **Total Film**, Total Film (3/5): The review finds the film thoughtful and well-made, but overly long and slow. It praises the performances and Montana scenery, while noting that the pacing undermines the film’s strengths. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-horse-whisperer-review/)
- **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (90/100, inferred): The critic gives the film a strongly positive verdict, calling its story rare and its execution accomplished. They single out Kristin Scott Thomas’s performance for its emotional subtlety and contemporary edge. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-horse-whisperer-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)

## Details

- **Director:** Robert Redford
- **Director:** Robert Redford
- **Screenplay:** Richard LaGravenese, Eric Roth
- **Novel:** Nicholas Evans
- **Cinematography:** Robert Richardson
- **Editor:** Freeman A. Davies, Hank Corwin, Tom Rolf
- **Music:** Gwil Owen, Thomas Newman
- **Production design:** Jon Hutman
- **Costume design:** Judy Ruskin Howell, Bernie Pollack
- **Producer:** Robert Redford, Joseph P. Reidy, Patrick Markey
- **Cast:** Robert Redford as Tom Booker; Kristin Scott Thomas as Annie MacLean; Sam Neill as Robert MacLean; Scarlett Johansson as Grace MacLean; Dianne Wiest as Diane Booker; Chris Cooper as Frank Booker; Cherry Jones as Liz Hammond; Ty Hillman as Joe Booker
- **Runtime:** 2h 49m
- **Release (Israel):** 5 June 1998
- **Genres:** Adventure, Drama, Romance
- **Also in:** [Golden Globe Best Drama winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-drama.md) (Nominee, 1998)
- **Budget:** $60 million
- **Box office:** $187 million

## Where to watch in Israel

- Apple TV: rent ₪16.90, hd
- Apple TV: buy ₪29.90, sd

*Checked 2026-10-05.*

Also available in: AT, AU, BE, CA, CH, DE, ES, FR, GB, IE, IL, IT, JP, NL, NZ, PL, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The Black Stallion* (1979): A boy and a horse build trust through patient, richly visual storytelling.
- *The Rider* (2017): Horses, damaged bodies and recovery, with less reassurance and more difficult choices.
- *Local Hero* (1983), Fi1m 86: Another landscape makes a persuasive case for reconsidering the life left behind. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/local-hero.md)
- *A Summer's Tale* (1996): For romantic hesitation observed closely, with conversation doing the work of spectacle.
- *The Bridges of Madison County* (1995), Fi1m 84: An adult romance whose restraint gives ordinary encounters an unusually painful weight. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-bridges-of-madison-county.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-horse-whisperer