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The Great Buck Howard is one of those films that makes you say hmmmm. The story of one man’s search for a purpose and another man’s quest for recognition. How on earth did they end up on the same path?

Troy Gable (Colin Hanks) is everything a father could hope for…until he drops out of law school and goes in search of his purpose in life. You know, the thing he was meant to do. He comes up with somewhat of a compromise.

Troy finds an ad in the newspaper and applies for the position of “Road Manager.” It could be fun, he thinks. What he ends up with is becoming the catch all guy for the Great Buck Howard, an almost washed up mentalist. John Malkovicj plays the Great Buck Howard with great ease. Being somewhat of a quirky guy, Malkovich brings Buck Howard to life.

Howard is on the road, playing small Fine Arts theaters in towns that most people don’t even know exist, but he is still drawing crowds and some people actually love him. Troy just isn’t sure. Howard is pretty much his own biggest fan and has mood swings that would do any menopausal momma proud, but no matter what goes wrong, the show goes on.

Then Howard decides it is time to make his big comeback. He is determined to put his career back on track with the performance of all performances. Enter Valerie (Emily Blunt), the fill-in for the biggest publicist in the biz. Howard isn’t pleased by the shun, but has no choice but to go along.

When it looks like everything is going to fall into place for the big moment, a minor traffic accident throws a wrench into Howard’s plans. With one twist of irony thing turn around and Howard once again becomes a celebrity, but all good things must come to an end, or do they?

The Great Buck Howard is an odd little film. It by no means sucks, but I cannot quite decide what I liked about it. Malkovich who is a star in anyone’s eyes (who could forget him as Lenny in Of Mice and Men? Or his performance as Jekyll and Hyde in Mary Reilly) is quite good as Buck Howard, but I am not sure that that Howard is a likeable character.

Colin Hanks, who plays Troy is really quite good. His low-key style is a perfect offset for Malkovich’s oddness and the two play off one another quite well. Emily Blunt, who I actually remember from The Devil Wears Prada, is quite good. Her brash performance as Valerie, the publicist is very good. I also enjoyed the chemistry between her and Hanks as a little romance blossoms.

Overall, The Great Buck Howard is an enjoyable movie, but as I said, I am not quite sure why I think so. The acting is good, but I am not quite sure I get the point of the story. We pretty much end up where we started.

There are several supporting characters who add a little flair. Steve Zahn plays Kenny who along with his sister Doreen, Debra Monk, the genius who Kenny seems to be trying to get hooked up. I have loved Monk in just about everything I’ve seen her in, from NYPD Blues and numerous episodes of Law & Order to her appearances on A&E’s Nero Wolfe. She is simply a remarkable actress.

I would say that The Great Buck Howard is a nice little film to watch on a rainy Saturday night, but get it from the library.

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