Uncle Buck (1989)

Bachelor and all round slob, Buck, babysits his brother's rebellious teenage daughter and her cute younger brother and sister.

Director:

John Hughes

Writer:

John Hughes

Stars:

John Candy, Macaulay Culkin, Jean Louisa Kelly

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Candy	...	Buck Russell
Jean Louisa Kelly	...	Tia Russell
Gaby Hoffmann	...	Maizy Russell (as Gaby Hoffman)
Macaulay Culkin	...	Miles Russell
Amy Madigan	...	Chanice Kobolowski
Elaine Bromka	...	Cindy Russell
Garrett M. Brown	...	Bob Russell
Laurie Metcalf	...	Marcie Dahlgren-Frost
Jay Underwood	...	Bug
Brian Tarantina	...	E. Roger Coswell
Mike Starr	...	Pooter-the-Clown
Suzanne Shepherd	...	Mrs. Hogarth
William Windom	...	Mr. Hatfield (voice)
Dennis Cockrum	...	Pal
Joel Robinson	...	Miles' Friend #1

Storyline

As an idle, good-natured bachelor, Uncle Buck is the last person you would think of to watch the kids. However, during a family crisis, he is suddenly left in charge of his nephew and nieces. Unaccustomed to suburban life, fun-loving Uncle Buck soon charms his younger relatives Miles and Maizy with his hefty cooking and his new way of doing the laundry. His carefree style does not impress everyone though - especially his rebellious teenage niece, Tia, and his impatient girlfriend, Chanice. With a little bit of luck and a lot of love, Uncle Buck manages to surprise everyone in this heartwarming family comedy.

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Plot Keywords:

twin | watching tv | heart attack | 6 year old | 15 year old | 

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Taglines:

He's crude. He's crass. He's family.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 August 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Uncle Buck

Filming Locations:

Wheeling, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,794,501, 18 June 1989, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$66,758,538

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$79,258,538

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Hughes Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the first films to change teenagers' choice in music from rock to rap.

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Goofs

In some scenes, Uncle Buck's car has a red "Tow Away" tag attached to the windshield and in others it does not. At 01:13:16 and 01:22:57 there are red and white papers on the dashboard seen through the front windshield. At 01:15:41 there is a black on red sheet reading "ABANDONED AUTO" on the dashboard.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Tia: Get your bag off the table, people eat there.
Maisey Russell: People eat off of plates.
Tia: Don't give me any crap, Maizy.

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Crazy Credits

When the movie finishes, John Candy's voice yells "Wake up!", followed by the sound of an air horn and John laughing.

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Alternate Versions

Trailer contains several scenes that aren't in the final cut of the film, including one of Buck shaving, one where Buck talks to Mrs. Russell about how he'll handle the kids, the lunch bag in the school locker, and Buck talking to Marcie in a supermarket.

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Connections

References The Twilight Zone (1959)

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Soundtracks

THUNDERBIRD
Written by Ray Anthony and George Williams
Performed by Ray Anthony
Under license from CEMA Special Markets, Capitol Records, Inc.

User Reviews

A sensitive, often touching film that was made for John Candy's talents.

Uncle Buck is a lovable character who, though irresponsible at times, loves his brother's children like his own. He winds up trying to deal with more than he bargained for when he must keep track of his teenage niece who tests the limits while her parents are not at home. It is funny and touching, something Candy does very well. This is a movie worth renting and one that teens and up can really enjoy.