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IMDbPro

Mister Showman

Original title: The Great Buck Howard
  • 2008
  • Tous publics
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
15K
YOUR RATING
Tom Hanks, John Malkovich, Griffin Dunne, Steve Zahn, Colin Hanks, Ricky Jay, and Emily Blunt in Mister Showman (2008)
The Great Buck Howard Trailer
Play trailer2:37
1 Video
72 Photos
AdventureComedyDrama

A young man, much to the chagrin of his father, becomes the new assistant to an illusionist in decline.A young man, much to the chagrin of his father, becomes the new assistant to an illusionist in decline.A young man, much to the chagrin of his father, becomes the new assistant to an illusionist in decline.

  • Director
    • Sean McGinly
  • Writer
    • Sean McGinly
  • Stars
    • Colin Hanks
    • John Malkovich
    • Tom Hanks
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    15K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Sean McGinly
    • Writer
      • Sean McGinly
    • Stars
      • Colin Hanks
      • John Malkovich
      • Tom Hanks
    • 53User reviews
    • 70Critic reviews
    • 63Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    The Great Buck Howard
    Trailer 2:37
    The Great Buck Howard

    Photos72

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    Top cast91

    Edit
    Colin Hanks
    Colin Hanks
    • Troy Gable
    John Malkovich
    John Malkovich
    • Buck Howard
    Tom Hanks
    Tom Hanks
    • Mr. Gable
    Emily Blunt
    Emily Blunt
    • Valerie Brennan
    Ricky Jay
    Ricky Jay
    • Gil Bellamy
    Steve Zahn
    Steve Zahn
    • Kenny
    Griffin Dunne
    Griffin Dunne
    • Jonathan Finerman
    Debra Monk
    Debra Monk
    • Doreen
    Adam Scott
    Adam Scott
    • Alan Berkman
    Patrick Fischler
    Patrick Fischler
    • Michael Perry
    Wallace Langham
    Wallace Langham
    • Dan Green
    Jonathan Ames
    Jonathan Ames
    • Edward Kelly
    Jacquie Barnbrook
    Jacquie Barnbrook
    • Sheila Heller
    Paul Darricarrere
    • Restaurant Manager
    Terry Scannell
    • Kip
    Matt Hoey
    • Charley
    Jobi Graham
    • Tall Guy
    B.J. Hendricks
    B.J. Hendricks
    • Burly
    • Director
      • Sean McGinly
    • Writer
      • Sean McGinly
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews53

    6.415K
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    Featured reviews

    8J_Trex

    I Loved This Movie!!!!

    This was a very good comedy, well written and acted. The dialog was witty, the plot kept the pace going, and the character development was very good. Buck Howard (John Malkovich) is an "Amazing Kreskin" type magician who hires an assistant named Troy (Colin Hanks)to help him out while on the road, playing small venues in small towns. Troy is a law school dropout who decides to pursue a career in show business, against the wishes of his father (played by Tom Hanks in a brief role). Buck Howard had been a bigger star in the past, playing on Johnny Carson 61 times, but recently had been down on his luck.

    Troy tells the story (Nick Carraway like) of Howard's life on the road, his unlikely comeback, and his fall back to earth. Along the way, we are introduced to Valerie, a publicity agent, excellently portrayed by Emily Blunt. Troy and Valerie become romantically involved, which makes Buck jealous, of whom specifically is unclear. Everyone in the movie seems curious as to Buck's sexual orientation: is he gay or not? Nobody knows for sure.

    There were numerous cameo appearances by notable celebrities throughout the movie and Steve Zahn put in a hilarious performance as one of Buck's devoted fans.

    This was a very funny movie, and I enjoyed it a lot. I'd recommend it to anyone who appreciates a good comedy.
    8la_fleur

    You think you've failed at life? Buck Howard will show your path

    Houdini was once approached by a student who told him, "I know hundreds of card tricks, how many do you know?" Houdini replied, "Five, and I have dedicated my entire life to learning how to entertain an audience with them".

    Buck Howard is a dried up celebrity struggling for his last gasp of fame. Almost forty years ago, Johnny Carson gave Buck Howard the title "The Great Buck Howard" and it stuck. Unfortunately, those years have left their mark and Buck is no longer 'Great'. Despite his tired jokes, sappy piano clap-along songs and magic acts he manages to attract small crowds at far-flung venues in the middle of America. The performances are always "One Night Only", as there would never be enough seat-fillers for a second. So what is exactly that keeps him going?

    Colin Hanks plays Troy Gable, a law school dropout looking for a detour to finally get the answer to what he is meant to do in life. Will be able to counsel him a unbalanced magician -or mentalist-?

    Nicely done, this film is funny and likable. A modern story about life dreams, the fierce entertainment industry, and the sadness that hides behind a bad temperamental person. Every well-known actor that appears in this film,even if they play short cameo roles, plays an important part.

    It's quite a gentle, unusual comedy, so morals behind this movie are hard to get. However, this is a good film worth watching and definitely should be shown as an example of outstanding acting from Malkovich to Star Trek actor George Takei.
    9katherinestarwalters

    Enjoyable all-ages movie

    I just saw this movie at SIFF. It was well-cast and entertaining. Colin Hanks, Adam Scott, and John Malkovich were especially enjoyable to watch. It is a comedy, but it was written and performed in such a way that I cared about the characters. It was funny and interesting so time flew because I was engaged in the plot. It is appropriate and appealing to a wide age range, and I would have felt comfortable going with my grandmother or my 12-year-old cousin. I especially recommend this movie to families or couples who are just getting to know each other because it will give you something to talk about afterward without ever making you feel uncomfortable or embarrassed. It is not action packed but if you enjoyed "Lars and the Real Girl" or "Little Miss Sunshine," you will probably like "The Great Buck Howard."
    7moviemanMA

    "I love this town!"

    What happens to famous people when their popularity dies out? If this intrigues you I would recommend you go sit down and watch The Great Buck Howard. It stars Colin Hanks, John Malkovich, Emily Blunt, and features Tom Hanks in a comedy about just that question.

    The beginning of the film almost started off exactly like Orange County, another film starring Colin Hanks. Here he plays Troy, law student who has decided that becoming a lawyer just isn't what he was cut out to do. So he does what every young man decides at some point in his life to do: write. That's about the extent of the comparison to Orange County. The rest of the film is nothing like it (and that's a good thing).

    Since writing doesn't quite pay the bills, he finds a job working on the road for the Great Buck Howard, played marvelously by Malkovich. Buck is not a magician but a mentalist. He appeared on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson 61 times, but since then hasn't done much. He now plays small town theaters across the country.

    Hanks doesn't know anything about show business but soon learns that life with Buck can be both rewarding and degrading. After tearing through town after town, Hanks falls into a grove until his father, played by his real father Tom Hanks, catches wind that he left school to work for Buck. He is disappointed to say the least and nearly gets Colin to quit, but Howard manages to keep him on for his secret trick (or as Howard refers to them as "effects") to take place in Cincinnati, Ohio.

    It is there we meet Hanks' love interest in PR girl Valerie (Emily Blunt). Buck is paraded around town by a pair of simple folk (Debra Monk and Steve Zahn) who try to make him feel as welcome possible. In doing so they nearly ruin the entire event. The rest of the film follows Buck and Troy as they try to resurrect Buck's career and bring him back to the Tonight Show and eventually Vegas.

    This is a cute little film that has a lot of heart. Malkovich puts on a great performance as the aging mentalist, giving the character a much developed personality and history. We can see that years on the road have turned this man into somewhat of a nut job, but he can still put on a great show.

    The script doesn't waver. Writer/director Sean McGinly does a fine job for his first big production. There is nothing flashy going on here. Just a basic film with an above average story. That's all I expected from this film. I knew Tom Hanks wouldn't put his name on just anything (he produces the film).

    I don't see this film making too much of a splash. There's nothing really here that makes me say "wow!" Malkovich is probably the best part of the film, as well as the story. I wouldn't go out of my way to see it, but I'm glad I got to. I also look forward for more of McGinly's work. It looks like he has a knack for storytelling.
    Gordon-11

    Enjoyable

    This film is about a young man who quits law school to become the assistant to a waning mentalist performer.

    "The Great Buck Howard" has a unconventional beginning, with coloured subtitles helping to get points across. It is a fun way to start a film, yet the rest of the film has a vastly different tone.The title character Buck Howard is an unpleasant and mean guy, and yet somehow he strikes a chord with the viewers. He makes me sympathise with his misfortunes, and feel sad that his amazing acts get overlooked by the public and the press. I wanted Buck Howard to succeed in his tricks, even though he is unpleasant to work with.

    I enjoyed watching "The Great Buck Howard".

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The character of "Troy Gable" is based on director Sean McGinly's experiences as road manager for The Amazing Kreskin, on which The Great Buck Howard is loosely based.
    • Goofs
      Alan asks a host to show "Troy and I" around (instead of "Troy and me") near the beginning of the movie.
    • Quotes

      Buck Howard: That's distilled water. I'm not an iron.

    • Connections
      Edited from The Jerry Springer Show (1991)
    • Soundtracks
      What the World Needs Now
      Written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach

      Performed by John Malkovich

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    FAQ18

    • How long is The Great Buck Howard?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 22, 2009 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Great Buck Howard
    • Filming locations
      • Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
    • Production companies
      • Bristol Bay Productions
      • Playtone
      • Great Buck Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $750,587
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $115,004
      • Mar 22, 2009
    • Gross worldwide
      • $900,689
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 30m(90 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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