1/5 Jake La Motta at the fruit stand
  by Automated Message (SF)
Is Hollywood so hard up for movie material that they have to start dredging through bit parts on the Johnny Carson show? This bleak exercise in wishful thinking is the Peter Pan version of "Leaving Las Vegas," Buck Howard a mawkish Gallagher Gump channeling Meryl Streep's Helen Archer aping her Yellow Brick Road monologue at the Swamp Tavern during lockdown.

And, besides, this figment is nothing more than "prodigal son" foreplay. Think about it. Tom Hanks Jr., an actor whose only trick is to open his eyes wide when somebody says "Howdy, doody," hates his father so profusely that he shacks up with a shrivelled sugar daddy, a spent Hamlet in drag, resigned to wash the misanthrope's spoiled trousers by hand. Which makes the conclusion even more bizarre when, back in Waylon Jennings' hometown, we're enthusiastically told that, after all, it's the common Bible-thumper's lust that makes Herr Houdini's spoons bend on time.

Eventually, Chuck Noland shows up looking for his long-lost volleyball, but when he finds it, he's introduced to Buck, and "Chuck and Buck" hilarity ensues. As for the rabid hordes of mentalist fans (as in, "Dude, when that guy's trick didn't work, he went totally mental"), they are never let in on what we know five minutes in: The whole movie's rigged; it's a 90-minute-long trick done with camera angles.

4/5 "I Love This Town" ~ Finding Your Money And Finding Where You Belong
  by Brian E. Erland (CA - USA)
Synopsis: Buck Howard (John Malkovich) is a has been magician who's only claim to fame was several appearances on the Tonight Show some twenty odd years or more in the past. No relegated to playing the smallest of venues in small rural towns, he longs for one last shot at the big time and one more appearance on the Tonight Show. Unable to face the fact that he's a small time talent bound for obscurity he blames his lack of success on others; his booking agent (Emily Blunt), his new personal assistant (Colin Hanks) and anyone else within shouting distance. He does however have one special moment in his act he always closes his performance with, it's his signature trick. No one has ever found out exactly how he does it. Could it turn out to be the one thing that might get him another shot at the big time?

Critique; The 2008 film 'The Great Buck Howard' is yet another quirky, off-the-wall story tailor made for the immensely talented John Malkovich. His charm, wit and unique eccentricities are all on display here which in and of themselves make this an enjoyable watch. While his supporting cast is solid, it is unquestionably his one man show and hence the success or failure of this movie rests on his performance. Fortunately for all involved he pulls it off beautifully.

4/5 Malkovich has rarely been better
  by Roland E. Zwick (Valencia, Ca USA)
"The Great Buck Howard" is a near-perfect faux biopic that will have you grinning from ear to ear for ninety euphoric minutes. John Malkovich plays the title character, an ego-driven mentalist loosely based on the Amazing Kreskin. We're told that Buck had the moniker "Great" bestowed on him by none other than the late Johnny Carson himself after the magician appeared on the Tonight Show sixty-one times during the heyday of his career. The humorously named Troy Gable (Colin Hanks) is the law student (and narrator of the tale) who takes a pass on a promising career as an attorney to serve as Buck's road manager, a move that causes great consternation for the young man`s father, nicely played in a cameo appearance by Colin's real-life dad, Tom Hanks.

Part inveterate con man, part grandiose showman and part purveyor of down home wisdom and folksiness, Buck Howard turns out to be the perfect instructor for a young man eager to become wise in the ways of human nature. Howard is what P.T. Barnum would have been had he been reduced to playing smaller venues, an entertainer par excellence who really knows how to work his audience for ego-gratification and profit - in short, a figure as uniquely American as the lone frontiersman or trailblazing entrepreneur. Howard probably believes only half of what he's selling, but it is that half that keeps him going in the face of declining popularity and ever-dwindling crowds. For Howard is just shy of turning into a has-been when, as if by magic, he finds himself unexpectedly mounting a full court media comeback.

A satirical and affectionate paean to the world of show biz and the bizarre creatures that inhabit it, "The Great Buck Howard" boasts a witty, flavorful script and stylish direction by the multi-talented Sean McGinly. The movie also features a lovely performance by Emily Blunt as a publicist and Troy`s potential love interest, while a number of well known celebrities - John Stewart, Regis and Kathy Lee (or is it Kelly?), Conan O'Brien, George Takei and Tom Arnold among them - make brief appearances as themselves.

But it is Malkovich who grabs the material by the horns and runs with it. With his every gesture and facial expression, Malkovich turns the Great Buck Howard into a savvy combination of egotism, bravado, humility and pathos. One minute he's an impossible slave-driver, the next a paternalistic mentor - one minute a clear-eyed pragmatist, the next a dewy-eyed visionary and sentimentalist. It is Malkovich's ability to seamlessly meld all these contradictory traits into an instantly recognizable and utterly lovable character that ultimately makes "The Great Buck Howard" the richly entertaining experience it is.

4/5 Actually, a Darn Good Movie
  by Glenn Gallagher (Sacramento, CA)
The Great Buck Howard is perhaps not a great great film, but is in fact a Darn Good Movie. It's light and amusing. The movie was refreshing and kind of sweet in that 1950s film style. If you want a pleasant film experience without violence and explosions, this is a good bet. The performances are excellent, especially John Malkovich as The Great Buck Howard. The cameo appearances of real television personalities are a lot of fun as well.

4/5 A genuinely fresh movie
  by D. J. Nardi (Washington, DC)
I'm not a huge John John Malkovich fan, but this seems like one of those rare occasions when actor and role seem perfectly matched to produce an entertaining movie. Malkovich plays Buck Howard, a failing magician loosely based on the Amazing Kreskin. Malkovich's character is both corny and charming. He undergoes a transformation from being frustrated with his fate of performing for small-town America, to finding the his big break didn't necessarily bring him what he most needed. Meanwhile, Colin Hanks (Tom Hank's son) plays a young man searching for himself after dropping out of law school. Ultimately, this movie isn't a slapstick comedy and you probably won't find yourself laughing out loud. Nonetheless, it has some funny moments and is a breath of fresh air compared to the stale comedies Hollywood has been producing (with their utterly predictable plots).I found myself unable to predict where exactly the story was going or what would happen next to Buck Howard - and I loved that. Hopefully you will too.