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US Mall 1 - Chuck & Buck
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List Price: $9.98
Our Price: $0.25
Your Save: $ 9.73 ( 97% )
Availability:
Manufacturer: Live / Artisan
Starring: Mike White, Chris Weitz, Lupe Ontiveros, Beth Colt, Paul Weitz
Directed By: Miguel Arteta
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Average Customer Rating:   
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Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 0012236108375
Format: Closed-captioned
Label: Live / Artisan
Manufacturer: Live / Artisan
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Live / Artisan
Release Date: 2001-05-22
Running Time: 96
Studio: Live / Artisan
Theatrical Release Date: 2000
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: This is entertainment?
Comment: This movie, if you can call it that , is about the lamest thing I've ever seen---especially given the bait--"twisted and funny" or some such sentiment which appears on the package.
I saw this about 5 or 6 years ago, so my memory for all the details is shot; however, my friend and I both give it a zero ---for zero ideas, zero artistic integrity, zero effect...you get my point....
This is the Emperor's New Clothes of the indie movie industry...SOMETHING'S supposed to be there, but sadly, it isn't.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Rated "R" for sexuality? Come on.
Comment: This just shows how confused the MPAA was, and is. The "sexuality" in this movie consists of... no nudity - and abbreviated remarks concerning sexual acts. But let's leave that aside. Just have a guy kiss another guy and the MPAA goes into a frenzy--knee-jerk "R".
Anyway, this flick was way better than critics had led me to believe. It's a movie about a guy who just can't get over his boyhood lover. He's about one step away from the loony bin, in fact. But the saving grace of this movie, which normally I would not like (not being a fan of crazies) is that there is NO violence. (Not that the stupid MPAA cared.) I kept expecting "Buck" to pull out a kitchen knife or some such trash - my expectations having been formed by Hollywood. But no, Buck's apparently a harmless kook. As most kooks are, if treated gently--perhaps.
After wincing for the first 30 minutes, I actually began getting into the whole scene of Chuck's continual rejection of Buck. This is a most unusual movie and wins points for originality. Have we ever seen one like this from the movie industry? No. Is it a subject worthy of treatment by film? Yes. Some of us have indeed thought about old flames from the past - and wanted to do something "crazy" to try to win them back. This movie is an interesting exploration into one crazy guy who stopped short of almost nothing.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Too thin for a feature
Comment: Chuck and Buck is another underwhelming shot-on-video indie that isn't nearly as good as it thinks it is or needs to be to justify its feature length. The biggest problem is Mike White's character, an infantile gay stalker obsessed with the childhood friend who has moved on in the world. The premise is workable, but White's own script never develops him beyond a single defining note, which makes for an increasingly unbelievable lead easily outshone by the supporting players - not so much Chris Weitz as the object of his obsession but definitely by Paul Weitz as a spectacularly bad lookalike actor Chuck casts in a frightening autobiographical play and Lupe Ontiveros as the show's down to earth director. It does pick up as it goes along and it's not unwatchable, it's just one of those films that really offers too few reasons to see it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: An Amusing/Disturbing Look at Obsessive Love
Comment: This cleverly conceived film could be called a new twist on the theme of obsessive love, yet that would not really do it justice. "Chuck and Buck" explores the classic tale of unrequited longing not only from a new angle, but attempts to sound the very depths of that longing.
Directed with great assurance by Miguel Arteta and written by Mike White (who also plays Buck), this is a film that really succeeds in taking an audience somewhere they have (probably) never been. Nearly everyone can relate to a tale of frustrated love. Buck's monomaniacal fixation of his love object is nothing new to movies. This character could recall John Heard in "Chilly Scenes of Winter" or Isabelle Adjani in "The Story of Adele H.". And, like those and myriad other lovesick character studies, "Chuck and Buck" offers the viewer some basis of the obsession. Where the newer film is unique is in the extremely close observation of a lovestruck character as a manchild. Buck has-in the deepest emotional sense-truly never left his childhood behind. His bedroom is replete with every little-boy accessory: piles of boxed board games, stuffed animals, and the persistent motif, an illuminated plastic globe that displays lollypops. When his mother dies at the outset of the film, Buck-now 27-instantly transfers his emotional dependency onto Chuck, his best friend from childhood. Not surprisingly, the latter has moved forward into an adult life. Chuck has gone to LA, taken a job with an independent recording company, and gotten himself engaged. Buck tracks his old friend down, inviting him to his mother's funeral, and wastes no time in letting Chuck know that the special quality of their childhood relationship-a sexual one-has not been forgotten. In fact, Buck wants to take right up where they left off some sixteen years ago. As might be expected, Chuck, his fiancee in tow, heads immediately for the Hollywood Hills. When the indomitable Buck relocates himself to LA to pursue his romantic destiny, the two men embark upon one of the oddest and most wrenching psychodramas yet encountered on screen.
Among many notable aspects of the film is its completely unapologetic attitude to homosexuality. Buck certainly has a problem, but it is one of infantilism, not of sexual orientation. Even in moments of dire frustration at Buck's relentless advances, Chuck never condemns his friend for who he is. For some, an identification of homosexuality with infantilism may be seen as a subtext here. But to this reviewer, the sexuality issue serves a more symbolic end: these childhood friends whose names rhyme are two sides of one coin. They have more in common than Chuck, perhaps, would admit and their bond goes deeper than even Buck could know.
Chris Weitz does good work bringing an exasperated Chuck to life. Although his character is much less finely drawn, Chuck can elicit as much audience-identification as Buck does. Weitz' facial expressions, as realizations slowly dawn upon him are expert and compelling. In the role of a neighborhood theater guardian angel, Lupe Ontiveros is a marvel. She finds the exact key to a character who discovers herself through association with the enigmatic Buck. Best of all is Mike White as Buck, a textbook case of perfect casting. White could not look more suited to the role: his slightly drooping, half-open mouth and shock of red hair are both comic and oddly endearing. So identified with is White with Buck that it is difficult to avoid thinking the role is somewhat autobiographical.
In a film of many fascinating and clever touches, one especially stands out. Running out of avenues to Chuck, Buck decides to write and produce a play about his frustrating friendship. With the help of the Ontiveros character and some hilarious backstage tribulations, the play is performed and, as a conciliatory gesture, attended by Chuck. The upshot of this entertaining, but disturbing episode is unexpected and moving.
Shot on digital video tape by Chuy Chavez, the film has a fuzzy, home-movie quality. And the many hand-held shots have only a slight documentary feeling, due to the complete lack of any sense of improvisation in this tightly scripted venture. "Chuck and Buck" takes chances with it characters and its narrative. While some of its components may work better than others, it boldly questions the meaning of emotional maturity and friendship. Highly recommended.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not A Comedy
Comment: The box paints this movie as a comedy. It perhaps can be viewed that way, but it is really the tragedy of Buck obsessed with his childhood friend Chuck. He can't understand that Chuck on longer wants to play the sex games they had so much fun with as children.
Buck is also like a moth to flame with a Chuck look-alike who also has no sexual interest in him. He is powerless to look elsewhere for love.
The movie does not have a Hollywood ending, nothing particularly resolved, just like real life, with a little hope of better things to come.
Buck has some minor mental problem. His directness gets him in repeated trouble. This is a weird movie the way it pulls at your heartstrings getting you to sympathsise with an idiot, who stands flawed, oddly symbolic of everyman.
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Editorial Reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: This is entertainment?
Comment: This movie, if you can call it that , is about the lamest thing I've ever seen---especially given the bait--"twisted and funny" or some such sentiment which appears on the package.
I saw this about 5 or 6 years ago, so my memory for all the details is shot; however, my friend and I both give it a zero ---for zero ideas, zero artistic integrity, zero effect...you get my point....
This is the Emperor's New Clothes of the indie movie industry...SOMETHING'S supposed to be there, but sadly, it isn't.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Rated "R" for sexuality? Come on.
Comment: This just shows how confused the MPAA was, and is. The "sexuality" in this movie consists of... no nudity - and abbreviated remarks concerning sexual acts. But let's leave that aside. Just have a guy kiss another guy and the MPAA goes into a frenzy--knee-jerk "R".
Anyway, this flick was way better than critics had led me to believe. It's a movie about a guy who just can't get over his boyhood lover. He's about one step away from the loony bin, in fact. But the saving grace of this movie, which normally I would not like (not being a fan of crazies) is that there is NO violence. (Not that the stupid MPAA cared.) I kept expecting "Buck" to pull out a kitchen knife or some such trash - my expectations having been formed by Hollywood. But no, Buck's apparently a harmless kook. As most kooks are, if treated gently--perhaps.
After wincing for the first 30 minutes, I actually began getting into the whole scene of Chuck's continual rejection of Buck. This is a most unusual movie and wins points for originality. Have we ever seen one like this from the movie industry? No. Is it a subject worthy of treatment by film? Yes. Some of us have indeed thought about old flames from the past - and wanted to do something "crazy" to try to win them back. This movie is an interesting exploration into one crazy guy who stopped short of almost nothing.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Too thin for a feature
Comment: Chuck and Buck is another underwhelming shot-on-video indie that isn't nearly as good as it thinks it is or needs to be to justify its feature length. The biggest problem is Mike White's character, an infantile gay stalker obsessed with the childhood friend who has moved on in the world. The premise is workable, but White's own script never develops him beyond a single defining note, which makes for an increasingly unbelievable lead easily outshone by the supporting players - not so much Chris Weitz as the object of his obsession but definitely by Paul Weitz as a spectacularly bad lookalike actor Chuck casts in a frightening autobiographical play and Lupe Ontiveros as the show's down to earth director. It does pick up as it goes along and it's not unwatchable, it's just one of those films that really offers too few reasons to see it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: An Amusing/Disturbing Look at Obsessive Love
Comment: This cleverly conceived film could be called a new twist on the theme of obsessive love, yet that would not really do it justice. "Chuck and Buck" explores the classic tale of unrequited longing not only from a new angle, but attempts to sound the very depths of that longing.
Directed with great assurance by Miguel Arteta and written by Mike White (who also plays Buck), this is a film that really succeeds in taking an audience somewhere they have (probably) never been. Nearly everyone can relate to a tale of frustrated love. Buck's monomaniacal fixation of his love object is nothing new to movies. This character could recall John Heard in "Chilly Scenes of Winter" or Isabelle Adjani in "The Story of Adele H.". And, like those and myriad other lovesick character studies, "Chuck and Buck" offers the viewer some basis of the obsession. Where the newer film is unique is in the extremely close observation of a lovestruck character as a manchild. Buck has-in the deepest emotional sense-truly never left his childhood behind. His bedroom is replete with every little-boy accessory: piles of boxed board games, stuffed animals, and the persistent motif, an illuminated plastic globe that displays lollypops. When his mother dies at the outset of the film, Buck-now 27-instantly transfers his emotional dependency onto Chuck, his best friend from childhood. Not surprisingly, the latter has moved forward into an adult life. Chuck has gone to LA, taken a job with an independent recording company, and gotten himself engaged. Buck tracks his old friend down, inviting him to his mother's funeral, and wastes no time in letting Chuck know that the special quality of their childhood relationship-a sexual one-has not been forgotten. In fact, Buck wants to take right up where they left off some sixteen years ago. As might be expected, Chuck, his fiancee in tow, heads immediately for the Hollywood Hills. When the indomitable Buck relocates himself to LA to pursue his romantic destiny, the two men embark upon one of the oddest and most wrenching psychodramas yet encountered on screen.
Among many notable aspects of the film is its completely unapologetic attitude to homosexuality. Buck certainly has a problem, but it is one of infantilism, not of sexual orientation. Even in moments of dire frustration at Buck's relentless advances, Chuck never condemns his friend for who he is. For some, an identification of homosexuality with infantilism may be seen as a subtext here. But to this reviewer, the sexuality issue serves a more symbolic end: these childhood friends whose names rhyme are two sides of one coin. They have more in common than Chuck, perhaps, would admit and their bond goes deeper than even Buck could know.
Chris Weitz does good work bringing an exasperated Chuck to life. Although his character is much less finely drawn, Chuck can elicit as much audience-identification as Buck does. Weitz' facial expressions, as realizations slowly dawn upon him are expert and compelling. In the role of a neighborhood theater guardian angel, Lupe Ontiveros is a marvel. She finds the exact key to a character who discovers herself through association with the enigmatic Buck. Best of all is Mike White as Buck, a textbook case of perfect casting. White could not look more suited to the role: his slightly drooping, half-open mouth and shock of red hair are both comic and oddly endearing. So identified with is White with Buck that it is difficult to avoid thinking the role is somewhat autobiographical.
In a film of many fascinating and clever touches, one especially stands out. Running out of avenues to Chuck, Buck decides to write and produce a play about his frustrating friendship. With the help of the Ontiveros character and some hilarious backstage tribulations, the play is performed and, as a conciliatory gesture, attended by Chuck. The upshot of this entertaining, but disturbing episode is unexpected and moving.
Shot on digital video tape by Chuy Chavez, the film has a fuzzy, home-movie quality. And the many hand-held shots have only a slight documentary feeling, due to the complete lack of any sense of improvisation in this tightly scripted venture. "Chuck and Buck" takes chances with it characters and its narrative. While some of its components may work better than others, it boldly questions the meaning of emotional maturity and friendship. Highly recommended.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not A Comedy
Comment: The box paints this movie as a comedy. It perhaps can be viewed that way, but it is really the tragedy of Buck obsessed with his childhood friend Chuck. He can't understand that Chuck on longer wants to play the sex games they had so much fun with as children.
Buck is also like a moth to flame with a Chuck look-alike who also has no sexual interest in him. He is powerless to look elsewhere for love.
The movie does not have a Hollywood ending, nothing particularly resolved, just like real life, with a little hope of better things to come.
Buck has some minor mental problem. His directness gets him in repeated trouble. This is a weird movie the way it pulls at your heartstrings getting you to sympathsise with an idiot, who stands flawed, oddly symbolic of everyman.
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