Uncle Buck (1989)

Once upon a time there was a writer and director named John Hughes. You might not recognise the name but you have certainly seen his films, especially if you grew up in the 80's. This was an era when family films meant something other than Spy Kids 15 or another animated movie. This meant cleverly observed, witty and touching films that had something for everyone. If you haven't seen Home Alone, Beethoven or Curly Sue then where have you been? If you were a little older the maybe you have seen his classic coming of age films such as Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Uncle Buck combines some of the best elements of both these type of films to give us another John Hughes classic.

John Candy plays Buck. He drinks, smokes, gambles, and avoids all responsibility. He is the last man you would want to leave in charge of your 3 kids, but that’s just what brother Bob must do when his father in-law has a heart attack. This is your typical fish out of water comedy with an edge. The edge being John Candy's fantastic performance as a bull of a man, charging into the lives of teenage daughter Tia (Jean Louisa Kelly) and kindergarten munchkins Maizy (Gaby Hoffman) and Miles (Macaulay Culkin). Candy brings Buck to life with his charisma, so much that I think every kid that saw this really wanted a babysitter like Buck! Who wouldn't want to have birthday pancakes so big they have to be flipped by a snow shovel?

I fell in love with this film all over again. Hughes allows just the right amount of adult humour in as Buck struggles to come to terms with his new responsibility. He reassures his stuffy sister-in law "I've given up smoking up cigarettes, I'm onto cigars now" and struggles with the washing machine "I'm gonna stuff my load into you!" Much of the humour comes from Buck trying to find his feet in world so alien to a serial bachelor, but there is some great support from the kids.

Tia is the sulky teenager who could have been the role model for so many high school girls who thought their parents had no other purpose but to ruin their lives. Let’s just say Tia's brooding angst got a wry smile or two of recognition from my fiancé! Macaulay Culkin is also at his cutest here, grilling Buck with 20 questions in a scene which could have been his audition for Home Alone.

It really got me thinking that family movies like this are a thing of the past. The crazy outfits worn by Tia's friends, berets and huge sunglasses, waistcoats and spray on jeans remind us that this film was certainly made in a time long gone. The humour and truth found in films like Uncle Buck is sadly missing from a lot of the bland modern money spinners made today. Just as Buck breezes in and brings a little cheer to his in-laws lives so did Hughes' films to a lot of people in their day. Will we ever see the likes of John Hughes and John Candy again?

7/10