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Rating: 1989 Comedy, written and directed by John Hughes, a specialist in the genre, very active in the '80s. Hughes is to be remembered for employing actors like Matthew Broderick, Kevin Bacon, Steve Martin, and John Candy, in light films suited to the expressiveness of these beloved character actors.
In "Uncle Buck", original title "Uncle Buck", John Candy's sarcasm stands out, a robust actor with a reassuring face, who passed away from a heart attack at only 44, in the mid-'90s. The theme of the somewhat dysfunctional family relationship is dear to the director, who loves to highlight the abilities of the protagonists by allowing them to act quite freely.
Candy is brilliant, comical at the right pitch, almost never over the top, perfect in this character. Not to be outdone is the former child prodigy Mac Culkin, who during these years proved to be as tender as he was mischievous; the scene of the quick exchange between him and the uncle is fantastic, where in a sort of rapid interview, they size each other up.
Uncle Buck has to take care of his brother's three children, who, along with his wife, have to leave the city for a few days. Besides Miles (Mac Culkin) and the tender little sister Mazy (Gaby Hoffman, now a 25-year-old actress who never really broke through), there's the angry teenager (15 years old) Tia (Jean Louisa Kelly, another ghost in the acting world), who causes endless problems. Surrounding the young one's constant anger are some messages of the film: parents too caught up in work leaving their kids to themselves, the strong generational conflict, distrust of others, the quest for independence, first confused adolescent loves.
From the bachelor Candy comes positive values instead, such as that of selfless love that bears fruit, gaining trust through small (for the children) or large (for the girl) gestures of love, the difficulty of settling down (the usual indecisive forty-year-old who doesn't want to put his life in order and vacillates a bit with everything). The uncle and the kids find themselves in a new situation and will learn from each other, and what seemed like a rather forced encounter turns into a successful week where everyone comes away with something more.
The comedy flows well, without highs or dead points, and there are no particular peaks of hilarity. It remains pleasant, although the themes don't particularly strike the viewer. As I said initially, Hughes' comedies rely heavily on the impact of the protagonist on the audience, precisely the strength of John Candy's comic figure (or if you prefer, given how it was translated in Italy, on Culkin's tender mischief), therefore this comedy is perfect for a light family evening, with the kids, or for fans of the genre.
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