Review of The Great Buck Howard (2008) by Eric B — 16 Jul 2009

Prior to this coming on during a flight two weeks ago, I'd never even heard of this film. And for good reason as I can't imagine it having much appeal to anyone with an attention span capable of sustaining interest through-out this mediocre tale. John Malkovich is Howard Buck, and aging illusionist who was supposedly some big name in his day (although there's no evidence of this) and is now touring the back country USA venues in towns nobody has heard off and planning his big comeback. Colin Hanks plays a totally forgettable lead as some bland guy who takes a job has Buck's road manager.

This film isn't in anyway terrible - it's just nothing. Hank's character (I'll call him Mr. Bland for the sake of this review, as I can't remember his name) somehow forms a connection with Howard Buck despite his being a prick and there's no reason why, as he is totally uncharismatic and ego-centric. Buck's career goes up and down at random intervals with no other reason than something needs to be happening to fill the running time - with the career high-points only identifiable by the constant stream of cameos that suddenly pop-up (Jon Stewart, for example). You get the sense that we're all supposed to be amazed by Buck's signature trick of finding hidden money, but it never seems all that impressive. The re-occurring question of whether or not he can read minds is rendered moot because the viewer simply doesn't care.

The biggest crime this movie commits is that the director is totally incapable of provoking emotion from the viewer. Events throughout the film have mountains of significance heaped upon them whilst the viewer wonders what the big deal is. Malkovich, normally highly watchable, gives the impression that he's still in rehearsals and trying to pin down the character. Severe cringe mounts whenever Tom Hanks rocks in playing Mr. Bland's father (it's his father in real life! Wow!) wearing an expression that reads "I'm here to support my son, them I'm outta here". And of course they committed the mortal sin of putting Steve Zahn in a movie.

There's nothing to really hate about this movie, but there sure isn't anything to like either.