Review of The Great Buck Howard (2008) by Joel M — 29 May 2010

You think Simon Baker of "The Mentalist" is the real deal? Simon says yes and so do many others. But the real mentalist character on screen is Buck Howard in the movie "The Great Buck Howard". "What the Buck?" you say. Yes, I am not pulling a magic trick on you. Writer-Director Sean McGinly's engaging "The Great Buck Howard" stars Colin Hanks as Troy Gable, a career-confused young man who quits law school and ends up becoming an assistant to a "once famous" mentalist performer named (wellâ?¦ you mentally guessed it) The Great (in his own mind at least) Buck Howard. Speaking of Howard the Buck, he is the marvel of the movie and is portrayed magnificently by the great John Malkovich. Howard used to be somewhat of a celebrity back in the heydays when he appeared in The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson an overrated 61 times. Howard now is struggling to fill in the crowds as he performs in quasi-filled theaters all around the country. His routine includes: a monologue, a "guess the number" trick, a piano set singing the tune "what the word needs love", and the grand finale trick of "finding his performance fee" hidden in the audience. But the best Buck Howard eccentricities are his firm swinging handshake and his shot out of "I love this town" every time he arrives in a different city to perform. Malkovich not only transformed into Buck Howard but embodied Buck Howard. I was saddened to see that the Academy "passed the Buck" by not nominating Malkovich for a Best Actor Oscar last year. Emily Blunt was, to put it bluntly, stellar as a media specialist who is contracted to help revitalize the Buck's career. Debra Monk and Steve Zahn were uproarious in playing a "brother & sister" theatre manager team in Cincinnati who strangely idolize the Buck. And there is this small-time actor named Tom Hanks who lends his Hankserchief thespian act into the picture by portraying Mr. Gable, Troy's dad; who of course in real life Tom happens to be also Colin's dad. Mr. Gable despises the fact that Troy has quit law school to be a Mentalist's assistant; but this young Gable tells Papa Gable "Frankly my dear dad, I don't give a damn". I was not mentally overwhelmed with either of the Hanks performances, but do not think I am playing hanky panky (whatever that means) by criticizing them. Colin still shows much promise in his acting career, and Tom Hanks is still Tom Hanks. McGinly's direction of the film's premise was not a mental challenge for any director to undertake, but I thought his script was a hoot with side-splitting lines. But the biggest find of "The Great Buck Howard" is undoubtedly the actor human being of Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich!!!

***** Excellent.