Produced by Tom Hanks's Playtone banner, The Great Buck Howard follows the rise, fall, and rise template of many Hanks productions (see Starter for Ten and his own That Thing You Do!), but [Sean] McGinly handles a large cast with ease.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Jul 20, 2024

The film’s light comedy is very light, inspiring chuckles right through without ever making us weep for the characters or bust a gut from laughter.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Dec 2, 2023

The Great Buck Howard has a pleasantly rueful approach. Instead of the scatological humor in raucous bromances like I Love You, Man, The Great Buck Howard offers a more low-key thoughtfulness about how success is defined.

| Jan 27, 2020

The characters are corny, the script is predictable and the incidental music cues us when to laugh and when to fret.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Oct 9, 2019

It's a light, weightless, mostly pointless show business homage, and you're likely to forget it about it halfway through.

| Original Score: D+ | Jun 22, 2013

| Original Score: B | Feb 18, 2012

| Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 17, 2011

| Original Score: 4.5/5 | Apr 4, 2011

Malkovich's titular mentalist is the primary focus of attention%u2014and sadly the source of many of the film's unique problems. In a career of strange performances, Malkovich turns in a true curiosity here%u2014and maybe it's because he is not, for once,

| Aug 8, 2009

The problem isn't so much in the film's clumsy, hand-holding narration, or in its forced quirkiness. Rather it's that its most interesting character -- the one they named the thing after -- isn't the main character.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Jul 24, 2009

A slight yet satisfying show-biz tale.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 22, 2009

By no means a great film, but it makes up in modest pleasantness what it lacks in weightiness.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 15, 2009

Sleight of hand is among a magician's greatest assets, but even the most gullible rubes will be able to follow most of writer-director Sean McGinly's telegraphed moves in this agreeable but lightweight film...

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Apr 10, 2009

...a charming, pleasantly diverting movie that is hard to dislike.

Full Review | Original Score: 86/100 | Apr 10, 2009

This is not a rare movie, but it does have a warm red center. It's likable, and its appeal grows as it recovers from a shaky start and finds its footing.

| Apr 9, 2009

Inspired by the Amazing Kreskin, it's a poignant, gently satiric portrait of the utter desperation of a fading celebrity.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Apr 4, 2009

This moderately entertaining film would have been a lot more entertaining had the charismatic, exceptionally talented Emily Blunt been given a much larger role.

| Original Score: 6/10 | Apr 4, 2009

A modest snapshot of a performer.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 3, 2009

While arguably sweet and charming, The Great Buck Howard is memorable only because of his sleight of hand.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Apr 2, 2009

The film feels painfully thin.

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Apr 2, 2009