Movie Description
Prior to THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD, writer-director Sean McGinly helmed TWO DAYS, a film that deals with themes of show-business failure. McGinly treads similar territory here, but whereas DAYS mixed dark comedy and tense drama in the internal struggle of a man who merely thinks he’s a failed entertainer, BUCK is a gentle charmer about a bona-fide washed-up star.
When sensible but jaded law student Troy Gabel (Colin Hanks) decides that school isn’t for him, he takes off without telling his father (Tom Hanks, whose presence underscores how many mannerisms he and his real-life son have in common) and looks for the job that will get him a proverbial foot in the door of the entertainment industry. In the blink of an eye, Troy finds himself as road manager for the Great Buck Howard (John Malkovich), an aging mentalist in the tradition of the Amazing Kreskin. He may be a corny relic with an act full of piano interludes and lo-fi theatrics, but he’s also pretty entertaining and genuinely impressive, especially his signature bit in which he locates his own hidden payment. He’s prone to throwing prima-donna fits and blathering on about his 61 appearances on THE TONIGHT SHOW while he regularly performs to half-full rooms; but every time he screams "I love this town!" to the audiences of Wausau, Wisconsin, and Bakersfield, California, it becomes increasingly apparent that he means it. Buck is the best showcase for Malkovich’s hilarious eccentricities since BEING JOHN MALKOVICH. But seen through the eyes of McGinly’s semi-autobiographical Troy and a perceptive publicist named Valerie (Emily Blunt), he’s more than just a caricature: his brief, hipster-irony-propelled resurgence as a national celebrity and the movie’s lighthearted satirization of Hollywood suggest he’s the kitschy, infantile heart of every entertainer.
Troy (Colin Hanks) decides that his career as a lawyer has lost its appeal, so he drops out of school in favor of working for Buck Howard (John Malkovich). But the eponymous mentalist isn't the celebrity he used to be, and Hollywood and Vegas just don't call like they used to, making everyone question Troy's decision. Tom Hanks produces and makes an appearance as Troy's father.
| Credits | | Producer: | Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks | | Cast: | John Malkovich, Steve Zahn, Tom Hanks |
Editorial Reviews
"[S]weetly nostalgic and gently satiric....What renders it worth watching are three key performances. John Malkovich is pitch-perfect as the egomaniacal, vaudeville-style magician..."
USA Today - Claudia Puig (03/20/2009)
"[A]n agreeable show business satire with a warm heart....John Malkovich exaggerates the familiar mannerisms of this self-described professional mentalist to create a barbed but affectionate portrait of a second-string trouper struggling for a comeback."
New York Times - Stephen Holden (03/20/2009)
3 stars out of 5 -- "Buck is the type of 'take it and run with it' part that brings out the best in Malkovich....Blunt adds further star power to the film's terrific cast..."
Box Office - Mark Keizer (03/20/2009)
"THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD gives the loopy John Malkovich the showcase he deserves....[The film] is in love with kitsch, the backwaters of showbiz, and true magic. It's a wee charmer..." -- Grade: A-
Entertainment Weekly - Owen Gleiberman (03/27/2009)
3.5 stars out of 4 -- "Colin Hanks is affecting....No one else could have played Buck better than Malkovich....The film is funny and perceptive..."
Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert (03/18/2009)
3.5 stars out of 4 -- "Malkovich is just right for the role of the quirky mentalist....The pacing and direction of the film match up perfectly with Malkovich's performance."
Premiere (03/19/2009)
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