The Great Buck Howard (Bob says 2 out of 4)

1. Did I enjoy it? YES (2 points)
Anytime you meet a person who is really famous or was at one point, you're in awe and will never forget the experience. I'll never forget meeting and talking to Ron Santo, a radio broadcaster and former third baseman for the Chicago Cubs. His playing days may have been long over, but it was still an incredible moment. So it is for fans of Buck Howard, played by John Malkovich. His days of drawing huge crowds to his magic shows might be finished, but those who come to his performances still love him. The film actually follows Colin Hanks' character Troy Gable, a young man who quits law school and is approached by Howard to be his road manager. Troy dreams of becoming a writer, but accepts Howard's offer to support himself. He discovers Howard is quite demanding and full of himself for a man past his glory days, but greatly admires his signature trick of guessing which audience member is secretly holding his fee for that night's performance. I suspect this is true of any celebrity one might get to know behind the scenes. They are talented but still flawed like the rest of us, perhaps even more so. Troy will eventually move on to other jobs and experiences, but he will never forget his time working with Buck Howard. Great performances by everyone involved, including cameos by Tom Hanks, Tom Arnold and various real-life talk show hosts.

2. Would I watch it again? NO (0 points)
This was a nice movie to watch, but I don't think it's one that I'll be rushing to Blockbuster to see again. Some films work well just with one experience and this is probably one of them. But I do encourage viewers to see it once, it's a small comedic drama that's a fun look at working with a former celebrity behind the scenes.