On DVD-'The Great Buck Howard'

'The Great Buck Howard' (PG) ***

Writer and Director: Sean McGinley
Starring: John Malkovich, Colin Hanks, Emily Blunt, Ricky Jay, Tom Hanks, Steve Zahn, Debra Monk, Donny Most

The Amazing Kreskin was a "Late Show With Jonny Carson" regular who was a hypnotist and a pretty crazy guest. I remember watching him a few times and the bemusement that Carson displayed towards him. "The Great Buck Howard" gives us a character inspired by and based on Kreskin and it does a very good job of capturing that Kreskin wackiness. This is a light, quirky comedy that is a lot of fun. John Malkovich plays Buck Howard and he is pitch perfect. Malkovich can do anything and is more known for his dramatic roles but here he is hilarious and never panders down to his character. Buck Howard is really small time but he is very arrogant and cruel to his employees. One of those employees is played by Colin Hanks and he is becoming a fine actor who can play the everyman pretty well just like his father has built a career on. He becomes Howard's assistant and takes a lot of abuse and his father (played by Tom Hanks) thinks he is wasting what could be a law career. The best scenes are between Malkovich and Colin Hanks as an underlying respect grows between the two. Less effective is the romantic story between Colin Hanks and Emily Blunt who plays a publicist along to help. This kind of distracts from the story of Howard and his assistant. Malkovich is amazing in this role and I am convinced he can do anything. There is a fun supporting cast and a great look at the second rate entertainment business. This reminds me of my favorite Woody Allen film "Broadway Danny Rose" in it's depiction of the lower depths of show business. Buck Howard might be an arrogant jerk on the surface but I like his dedication and perseverance. I also liked this movie which is light, easy, entertaining and a nice look at an unconventional friendship with a little pathos at the end. "The Great Buck Howard" is now available on DVD.