THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD

Year: 2008
USA: Magnolia Pictures
Cast: John Malkovich, Colin Hanks, Emily Blunt, Steve Zahn, Ricky Jay, Debra Monk, Griffin Dunne, Adam Scott, Patrick Fischler, Wallace Langham, Tom Arnold, Patrick Fischler, Tom Hanks, George Takei, Griffin Dunne, Nate Hartley, Jacquie Barnbrook, Ankur Bhatt, John Stewart, Martha Stewart, Conan O'Brien
Director: Sean McGinly
Country: USA
USA: 87 mins
USA Rated: PG for some language including suggestive remarks, and a drug reference
USA Release Date: 20 March 2009 (Limited Release)


Synopsis

Once upon a time, Buck Howard (John Malkovich) spent his days in the limelight. His mind-boggling feats as a mentalist extraordinaire - not to be confused with those of a mere magician - earned him a marquee act in Vegas and 61 appearances on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. As his popularity wains, Buck Howard now performs in faded community centers and hasn't sold out a theater in years, but he refuses to believe his act has lost its lustre.

Confident in his own celebrity, Buck Howard is convinced his comeback is imminent. He just needs a new road manager and personal assistant. Enter recent law school dropout and unemployed, would-be writer Troy Gable (Colin Hanks) who needs a job and a purpose. Working for the pretentious, has-been mentalist fills the former requirement, but how it satisfies the latter is questionable, especially to his father (Tom Hanks), who still assumes Troy is in law school.

With the aid of a feisty publicist (Emily Blunt) and a timely stroke of fate, Buck surprisingly lands back into the American consciousness, taking Troy along for the ride of his life. As the coveted spotlight again shines down on the great Buck Howard, Buck becomes the unlikeliest of teachers as Troy learns a few tricks he couldn't possibly have picked up in law school.

From writer/director Sean McGinley (TWO DAYS), THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD is produced by celebrated actor Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman (MAMMA MIA).