• The Great Buck Howard (2009)

    Defying his father and dropping out of law school, aspiring writer Troy Gable (Colin Hanks) looks for a way to gain some meaningful life experience. Troy gets that and more when he takes a job with Buck Howard (John Malkovich), a vainglorious mentalist who hopes to reinvigorate his fading career by staging a big comeback.

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The Great Buck Howard
63
metacriticBased on 25 Critics
72
Based on 27 Users

Release Date: March 20th, 2009

DVD Release Date: July 21st, 2009

PG |1 hr 30 min

Plot Summary

Defying his father and dropping out of law school, aspiring writer Troy Gable (Colin Hanks) looks for a way to gain some meaningful life experience. Troy gets that and more when he takes a job with Buck Howard (John Malkovich), a vainglorious mentalist who hopes to reinvigorate his fading career by staging a big comeback.

Cast: John Malkovich, Colin Hanks, Emily Blunt, Steve Zahn, Tom Hanks, B.J. Hendricks, Jacquie Barnbrook, Griffin Dunne

Director: Sean McGinly

Genres: Comedy drama

Production Co: Playtone Productions

Keywords: Los Angeles, Quest, Amusing, Father, 2000s, Offbeat, Transformation, Rise

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Ratings & Reviews

  • 50
    Bob MondelloNPR

    Laughs? Schmaltz? Life lessons? They're all there in Sean McGinly's pleasantly lackadaisical script, but not in such abundance that they seem reason enough to see the film. show more

  • 70
    The Hollywood Reporter

    A warm, amiable glimpse at the end of the showbiz road. show more

  • 88
    Roger EbertChicago Sun-Times

    I firmly believe such illusions are never the result of psychic powers, but I am fascinated by them, anyway. The wisdom of this film, directed and written by Sean McGinly, is to never say. show more

See all critic reviews on metacritic.com

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