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Uncle Buck (1989)


Another 80s movie I've somehow never watched until now. As far as John Candy's body of work goes, this is one of the films he's still better remembered for. This is also a John Hughes film.

Since I'm a fan of both men, I had to go ahead and finally watch it, hoping I would be pleasantly surprised.

Perhaps the "breakout star" of the film is Macaulay Culkin as 6-year-old Miles. Of the three kids, 15-year-old Tia (Jean Louisa Kelly) receives most of the story's focus, but I love the "Dragnet" sequence when Miles is asking Buck (Candy) questions about his life (with Miles record for number of consecutive questions asked being 38).

In a way, this movie is "Home Alone"-lite, as the parents need to leave home quickly for the wife's dad's death. Tell me why, though, in all these various movies about parents going away (this one, Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter Is Dead, etc.), once they leave the house to do whatever, they never contact home again while they're gone. Is it just because this is the pre-Internet and pre-"free" long distance era? I just don't get it.

Buck is a single guy in his mid-30s. He's had a girlfriend for 8 years, but otherwise, he doesn't have anyone or anything in his life, and he kind of likes it that way. But when his brother asks him to watch the kids, Buck steps up. He actually does a decent job, too, making sure that Tia doesn't go too far with her boyfriend, and that the other kids have enough to eat and don't get bullied by school administrators.

This experience teaches Buck that he can handle responsibility, and maybe it will make him open to getting married and finally having kids of his own. On the other hand, he doesn't seem any more interested in getting a real job or being locked into other responsibilities... but if he could be the stay-at-home dad, maybe that would work for him.

As far as John Hughes films go, it's okay, but I wouldn't rate it as top-tier; likewise, if you compared this film head-to-head with Planes, Trains and Automobiles, I prefer that one hands down.

Rating: 2.5/5 stars
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