The Great Buck Howard

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What’s the Story?

After realizing that law school isn't for him after all, Troy Gable (Colin Hanks) gets a job assisting past-his-prime "mentalist" Buck Howard (John Malkovich). Though he's appeared on The Tonight Show 61 times, Buck hasn't yet been able to hit the big time. But he's going to die trying -- despite the fact that his act, though interesting and certainly appreciated in Bakersfield and Akron, is positively cheesy (think Captain and Tenille meets David Copperfield). To finally make his mark, Buck -- with the help of a publicist (Emily Blunt) he can't quite make himself like -- unveils a new act that indirectly brings him the fame he so badly seeks. But Troy's not sure about Buck's new trajectory, especially since it might actually diminish the performer's powers.

Is It Any Good?

On paper, THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD ought to be a slam dunk. Quirky, interesting premise? Check. A well-written character? Check. John Malkovich? Check. But it stops short of greatness, settling instead for aimlessness. Blunt is a delight, but Hanks is merely amiable in his role -- he lacks a certain strength required when acting opposite a tour-de-force like Malkovich, whose turn as a smiley, glad-handy, loungey almost-ran is impressive. (The film really ought to be called The Great John Malkovich, though Buck's character is inspired by the Amazing Kreskin.) Buck could actually amuse kids in a retro kind of way: He's clearly of a different time that's pre-Twitter, pre-Internet, and pre-everything else that's revved up life so fast.

In the end, the movie's biggest problem may be this: Though we're meant to understand that Troy learns a life lesson from his time with Buck, it's not clear what that lesson really is. Is it to never mess with a good thing? To love what you do? To persist? Or all of the above? We get the card tricks and the sleight-of-hand, but there's no big finish.