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I did not know of this indie film from 2008 until I found it on the television a few years ago when I was extremely bored in my hotel room. This is a wonderful little gem of a movie.
“The Great Howard Buck” is a simple story of an aging mentalist named Buck Howard (John Malkovich) trying to regain his footing in the entertainment industry with the aid of his road manager Troy Gable (Colin Hanks). After a negative experience with law school, Troy is also attempting to get his life together, much to the outrage of his father who happens to be a reputable lawyer (played by Hanks’ real life father Tom Hanks). The unyielding and stubborn Troy is assisted by publicist Valerie Brenan (Emily Blunt), who along with Buck, supports Troy in his journey filled with success, failure and the tricks that went wrong.
While the plot progresses in a linear fashion with added humor, the major emphasis of the movie is on the themes of the film and why it advocates for mental health. “The Great Buck Howard” convinces its audience to believe how powerful perseverance is, the beauty of chasing dreams, while simultaneously providing a sense of hopelessness that may emerge from chasing a seemingly unattainable goal. The movie serves as a reminder of how people can learn to cope and mend those broken, shattered dreams.
As usual, he is splendid and remarkably takes on the Buck Howard persona as though it was crafted specifically for him and his awkward traits. Emily Blunt is equally impressive although her character does not contribute much to the plot, playing the part of a mere romantic interest. What is a revelation though is the under appreciated Colin Hanks. A young man struggling to break out of his father’s ever successful shadow and trying to find his own identity is the role where Colin is sure to excel at. The father son scenes he has with his dad are the highlight of the movie and shows how much Colin is unappreciated as an actor. Steve Zahn as well as Debra Monk, who play the obsessed fans, are also at their finest, and the guest appearances of the talk show hosts Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart, and many more add not only fill in star power but are just plain fun to watch.
In a nutshell, “The Great Buck Howard” is an underrated diamond in the rough and a complete need to watch because of the rather revealing and yet unpredictable scenes that do not try to deceive you, rather challenge you to think.
Absolutely, nothing should keep you from catching this particular film.
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