Directed by Sean McGinly. Starring: Colin Hanks, John Malkovich, Emily Blunt, Tom Hanks, Ricky Jay, Steve Zahn. Synopsis: A young man dissatisfied with the path his life is taking with law school decides to drop out and begin a writing career, which he subsidizes by taking a job as the road manager for mentalist showman who is on the downside of his career but does not seem to realize it. Comedy.
I've long thought that John Malkovich, in addition to being a great actor, brought an element of comedy to even his most intense dramatic roles so to see him in a comedy was a must for me. The Great Buck Howard is a comedy tinged with drama and just a touch of romance and it works very well.
The protagonist of the film, Troy (Colin Hanks) has just come to that point in life where he realizes that his life path-studying law-is not what he wants to do, its what his dad wants him to do. So, he decides to make a change. He's not sure what he wants to do, but he knows he's needs some way to make money and he ends up taking a job as the road manager for a has-been entertainer who calls himself a 'mentalist', Buck Howard.
Troy has never heard of Buck, who he quickly sizes up as a has been, along with everyone else close to Buck. The only issue is, Buck does not see himself as a has been, and playing to half empty auditoriums in places like Bakersfield and Akron week in and week out doesn't do anything to change that. Buck (John Malkovich Hotel) can be a handful, but he truly loves performing and, in his own way, is excellent at what he does. Troy comes to be attached to Buck, though that is strained somewhat when a press agent named Valerie (Emily Blunt) arrives on the scene and soon becomes the object of Troy's attention in spite of Buck.
You can imagine some of the humorous scenarios with traveling around the country and playing to audiences who want to see psychic and pseudo magic tricks, not to mention the fact that Buck will do a turn on the piano every night as well.
I've listed this as a comedy, and there are plenty of laughs, but there is quite a bit of dramatic work going on here as well, with Troy's coming of age decision and the conflict with his father (Tom Hanks Philadelphia) as well as his relationship with Valerie and Buck's unwavering dedication his craft. We learn in the Special Features that the story is loosely based on the writer's employment with The Great Kreskin, a performer who appreared on The Tonight Show on numerous ocassions.
The story is well told and the acting solid here, nothing spectacular, but strong performances from Malkovich aand Colin Hanks carry the story. Blunt is good as well and even the most hardened among you will get a little bit of a warm fuzzy when you look at the scenes with both generations of Hanks playing their scenes as father and son.
The Great Buck Howard will not be the crowning jewel in the careers of any of the main actors, but is a definite credit for all. For added fun, look for cameos from Tom Arnold, Donny Most, and Jay Leno.
A nice flick to enjoy for a couple of hours.
I've long thought that John Malkovich, in addition to being a great actor, brought an element of comedy to even his most intense dramatic roles so to see him in a comedy was a must for me. The Great Buck Howard is a comedy tinged with drama and just a touch of romance and it works very well.
The protagonist of the film, Troy (Colin Hanks) has just come to that point in life where he realizes that his life path-studying law-is not what he wants to do, its what his dad wants him to do. So, he decides to make a change. He's not sure what he wants to do, but he knows he's needs some way to make money and he ends up taking a job as the road manager for a has-been entertainer who calls himself a 'mentalist', Buck Howard.
Troy has never heard of Buck, who he quickly sizes up as a has been, along with everyone else close to Buck. The only issue is, Buck does not see himself as a has been, and playing to half empty auditoriums in places like Bakersfield and Akron week in and week out doesn't do anything to change that. Buck (John Malkovich Hotel) can be a handful, but he truly loves performing and, in his own way, is excellent at what he does. Troy comes to be attached to Buck, though that is strained somewhat when a press agent named Valerie (Emily Blunt) arrives on the scene and soon becomes the object of Troy's attention in spite of Buck.
You can imagine some of the humorous scenarios with traveling around the country and playing to audiences who want to see psychic and pseudo magic tricks, not to mention the fact that Buck will do a turn on the piano every night as well.
I've listed this as a comedy, and there are plenty of laughs, but there is quite a bit of dramatic work going on here as well, with Troy's coming of age decision and the conflict with his father (Tom Hanks Philadelphia) as well as his relationship with Valerie and Buck's unwavering dedication his craft. We learn in the Special Features that the story is loosely based on the writer's employment with The Great Kreskin, a performer who appreared on The Tonight Show on numerous ocassions.
The story is well told and the acting solid here, nothing spectacular, but strong performances from Malkovich aand Colin Hanks carry the story. Blunt is good as well and even the most hardened among you will get a little bit of a warm fuzzy when you look at the scenes with both generations of Hanks playing their scenes as father and son.
The Great Buck Howard will not be the crowning jewel in the careers of any of the main actors, but is a definite credit for all. For added fun, look for cameos from Tom Arnold, Donny Most, and Jay Leno.
A nice flick to enjoy for a couple of hours.
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