Only an actor as quirky and idiosyncratic as John Malkovich could’ve tackled a character like “The Great Buck Howard.” His insistence on capturing every annoying, arrogant and overbearing attribute of this once-heralded mentalist is what keeps the film from becoming just another glimpse into how some former stars fade not-so-gracefully into obscurity. I doubt the Academy will take notice, but through the first four months of 2009, Malkovich has turned in what I think is among the top two performances of the year (Joaquin Phoenix in “Two Lovers” being the other).
Produced by Tom Hanks, “Howard” follows the dwindling career of Buck Howard, an aging mentalist who once performed more than 60 times on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” only to find himself playing to half-full community centers following the coronation of Jay Leno as the new late-night mainstay.
Everyone around him knows that the gig is up and the whole act has become one pathetic ode to a time when the lights were just a little bit brighter. We get the sense that Buck knows his 15 minutes have come and passed yet he still charges on with all the brio and profanity you’d expect from a Hollywood prima donna.
When he hires an assistant played by Colin Hanks, their relationship is torrid from the start as Buck’s demands reach intolerable levels and Hanks does his best to keep up with Malkovich’s razor-sharp comedic timing.
As Tom Hanks’s son, the expectations are certainly high and Colin doesn’t falter under the pressure.
He’s likeable enough to make us believe that a kid like that would go to law school and later have the guts to tell his parents he dropped out to become a writer.
After months of pretending to support Buck’s desire for resurgence, he finally gets a break in the form of a publicist played by the wonderful Emily Blunt. From the moment Blunt appears, the story gets a much-needed boost in terms of holding the audience’s attention and the quality of Buck’s stage show is finally solidified.
While watching his act, we actually begin to understand how he was once the most sought-after mentalist around, because his tricks are perfectly executed. His most famous feat involves having his payment hidden somewhere in the audience and then finding it without the assistance of any sound or video equipment. Every night he does the trick and every night he finds the money, so for a while he appears to be back on the road to riches after all.
This is by no means a mainstream movie, so don’t be upset when you find out that the laughs don’t come as often as you’d like. Malkovich thrives on the sexual ambiguity of the character and doesn’t really care if people find him difficult to deal with. The public loves a comeback story and despite Buck’s prickly persona, he’s still a guy worth rooting for.
- *** ½ out of 4
You’ve seen the carnage, read about the decadence and heard the profanity-laced tirades, but how well do you really know former heavyweight champion of the world Mike Tyson? In the new documentary “Tyson,” director James Toback hopes to enhance your familiarity with the “baddest man on the planet” by portraying him as a sympathetic figure born and bred on the hardened streets of Brooklyn. Tyson employs a Gorbachev-esque style of transparency when telling the camera about the criminality and sexual conquests that got him to where he is today and his honesty is what makes this film worthy of your attention.
As he rattles on about everything from childhood to Evander Holyfield, the whole thing takes on a kind of confessional quality in which Tyson bares his inner most soul for all to see. Instead of an animalistic archetype, he becomes a multifaceted human being capable of acknowledging his mistakes and praying for forgiveness, which those around him view as a vast improvement from his younger days.
Does Toback condone or downplay the seriousness of Tyson’s behavior? No, but the nature of their relationship implies a degree of respect for a man who has always done things his own way regardless of the consequences. His actions in the ring are just as fascinating as his actions outside of it, so prepare to hear the story directly from the teary-eyed source himself.
Is it guaranteed to change your opinion? Of course not, but it surely influenced mine.
- *** ½ out of 4
