Chuck & Buck

First of all, given the fact that it is labelled as "comedy", I was expecting something along the lines of "There's Something About Mary", but nothing could be further from the truth. It's not a comedy at all. "Drama" and "tragedy" would have been a more accurate label.

Quite a sad story, indeed. Excellent pacing and very competent acting by the leading characters; particularly the Buck character - a 27 year old man-child who's unable to move on with his life after his childhood friend, whom he reunites with at the start of the movie, rejects his sexual advances.

This movie reminded me of "One Hour Photo", "The Gift", and (most of all) "Enduring Love", as all of these movies feature a likable "stalker", who has no malicious intentions towards the target and you actually sympathize with him.

A unique, well-made, thought-provoking movie that does a great job at avoiding clichés. Recommended.

The notable thing about Chuck & Buck is not just that it's a clever, well made movie with a fascinatingly odd central character, but that it doesn't go where you expect it to. At first Chuck & Buck seems like a more serious take on The Cable Guy, another weird movie about a strange stalker. Buck is a truly weird, disturbing guy, an adult seemingly incapable of leaving his childhood behind and unable to understand the world around him.

But the relationship between the principals is more nuanced than one is first lead to think and the movie refuses to make any of the obvious choices, moving it beyond fascinatingly weird to genuinely intelligent and thoughtful. Much of the movie's appeal is undeniably its weirdness, but the movie is far more than a one-trick pony.

Highly enjoyable, terrific look at the sometimes difficult transition between childhood and adulthood. Basically deals with the relationship between Chuck and Buck. 'Best' friends in childhood, but who have now taken completely different paths. Chuck is a successful record executive with a beautiful girlfriend. Buck is still immature and longing for the 'good old days'. Buck tracks Chuck down and tries to turn things back to the way they were, which leads to many problems.

Keenly looks at many universal human experiences from catering to that 'inner child', avoiding change, holding on to memories of simpler times, and even facing the fact that people can change and drift apart. It does all this while still conveying it's message (that accepting change is your best medicine) without ever being too preachy or too cute.

Fairs better than other films of similar type (FLOUNDERING, FREE ENTERPRISE) simply because the characters and situations are more consistent. This allows the viewer to better identify with their own similar experiences.

White as Buck is dynamite. Not only does he convincingly play a 11 year old, but he actually LOOKS like one despite being a adult.

Has a good non-flashy finale that,in it's own low key way, really hits home. A winner. Look quickly for Paul Sand as one of the playhouse directors

We saw this movie because we heard great critic reviews. It certainly was interesting and different; enjoyable to my artistic senses. But funny? No! I don't know how they can call this a comedy. I call it a drama. If folks are laughing, they're laughing at mental and/or emotional illness in a somewhat realistic plot - what's funny about that?!

I agree this movie had dark undertones. The look and feel was definitely low-budget but the story stood up well. It definitely made me feel uncomfortable at times---kinda like when you want to say to a character in film "No, PLEASE, just DON'T do that!" I felt so sorry for Buck, he did not mean to be the way the was...he just didn't know any other way. This definitely is not a light-hearted fun movie. It makes you think and feel a lot. A tiny bit too short, by today's standard's but it got the point across well.