For decades, John Hughes gave the world countless classic comedies about family, high school, and romance. One of his best films was undoubtedly 1989’s Uncle Buck starring the one and only John Candy. It’s a timeless story about family, growing up, and being there for the ones you love. It hits all the marks of a classic John Hughes film from the 80’s nostalgia, slapstick comedy, and heartfelt performances. At the same time, it’s a showcase of one the finest actors of that generation. From start to finish, Candy proves that he can be just as lovable as he is hilarious.
When John Candy passed away in 1994, the world lost one the funniest actors of all time. Fortunately, he left behind a body of work that millions still enjoy to this day. To get a feel for the genius of John Candy, Uncle Buck is the perfect place to start. Let’s dive into ten reasons why Uncle Buck holds up as one of the greatest family movies of all time and why both parents and kids still love it.
John Candy
He’s lovable. He’s hilarious. He’s John Candy. Candy rose to stardom in the 1980s, working with talented directors like Ivan Reitman, Harold Ramis, and Ron Howard. After starring in John Hughes’s &Planes, Trains, and Automobiles&, Candy became a staple in the John Hughes collection. He had a undeniable charm and charisma that truly made him one of a kind. Candy had a gift for taking roles, no matter how small, and stealing every scene that he was in. &The final frame of Uncle Buck is an unforgettable freeze frame of John Candy’s face, proving that a good actor can say a million words with just one look.
The supporting cast
The film has a fantastic supporting cast including Jean Louisa Kelly, Laurie Metcalf, and a very young Gaby Hoffmann and Macaulay Culkin. Kelly plays 15-year-old Tia, an angry teenager navigating the turmoils of high school with nothing but disdain for her parents. Hoffman and Culkin light up the screen as Tia’s adorable siblings who are in awe of their uncle. Because of them, Buck learns to grow up a little bit himself.
Both parents and kids can enjoy it
Like many John Hughes films, there is something for everybody in Uncle Buck.&&Adults can empathize with Buck’s inability to commit to his girlfriend and hold a job. At the same time, they will surely laugh as Buck terrorizes Tia’s nasty boyfriend, Bug, who Buck hilariously threatens to chop up with hatchet. Candy’s performance and physicality is something that children will fall in love with. On the morning of his nephew’s birthday, Buck is flipping giant pancakes with a shovel…and he couldn’t even get the toast through the door. He is certainly an uncle that many kids would wish to call their own.
Macaulay Culkin’s breakout role
After performing on stage and in TV movies, John Hughes cast Macaulay Culken as Miles Russel, Buck’s adorable nephew. Macaulay Culkin showed the world that he was a force to be reckoned with. At even such a young age, Culken had a charm and likability that would make him a national treasure. Thanks to a scene in the film, where Miles is interrogating Buck’s girlfriend through the mail slot, Hughes was inspired to create Home Alone.
It’s about personal growth
Uncle Buck is all about growing up. Tia learns that just because she feels like an adult, doesn’t mean that she is ready to take on the real world. Buck teaches her that everyone needs help sometimes and, in the end, it is your family who will be there for you. Buck is a man who simply can’t grow up. He can’t keep a job and he can’t commit to anything. He learns, through his nieces and nephew, that sometimes you have to put others first.
It’s a John Hughes movie
John Hughes will go down as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. He has blessed the world with countless movies that have resonated with people of all ages. There is a charm in his films that only he could create. His ability to speak to the everyday person is a talent that many filmmakers simply can’t match. Uncle Buck &is a perfect blend of Hughes’s capabilities as a filmmaker. The heartfelt performances, physical humor, and sharp dialogue all mix together to create a family classic.
It’s filled with ’80s nostalgia
The hair, costumes, and set designs in Uncle Buck will certainly bring the viewers back to the 1980s. There isn’t a smart phone in sight. Re-watching Uncle Buck can certainly show you how quick the world can change. Particularly in the scenes of Tia’s high school, one can get a feel for the funky clothes and big hair that many teens rocked during the 1980s…not to mention, Buck’s legendary wool fedora.
It’s an underdog story
Like so many of Hughes’s characters, Buck is a “real” person. He is at a standstill in life and struggles to achieve his full potential. While watching over his brother’s children, Buck learns what it means to be an adult and he saves the day more than once. Buck is truly a hero; just not the one most people are used to.
It has non-stop laughs
From start to finish, Uncle Buck &is filled with classic lines and memorable scenes that make this film a classic. Buck is a fearless warrior filled with confidence and wit. In so many hilarious scenes, Tia learns that she has finally met her match, especially when her “sadistic, bum uncle” threatens to shave her head and walk her to her first class in his bathrobe. &
It’s got a lot of heart
Love and family are at the center of the &Uncle Buck. Through all the laughs, you will learn to love these characters and empathize with the struggles that so many can relate to. It’s a story about being there for the ones you love and putting others before yourself. By the end of the film, the characters have changed for the better and we are left with Buck planning a coffee date with Tia. She graciously accepts and the audience now knows that Buck and Tia have learned that nothing compares to family.
Source: movieweb.com