There was a time when family comedies ruled the box office — big heart, bigger laughs, and at least one scene that every household could quote word-for-word. The late ’80s and early ’90s especially were stacked with these kinds of movies, thanks largely to one writer-director who had a near-supernatural understanding of messy families and reluctant heroes. One of the most beloved of those films is about to disappear from streaming.

Uncle Buck — the 1989 comedy written and directed by John Hughes — is set to leave Prime Video at the end of February. Added to the platform on January 1, the film won’t be sticking around much longer. The movie stars John Candy as Buck Russell, a carefree bachelor who suddenly finds himself babysitting his brother’s three kids during a family emergency. What follows is classic Hughes: chaos, awkward teenage tension, slapstick disasters, and surprisingly tender emotional beats. It also features a young Macaulay Culkin, whose sharp-tongued, scene-stealing performance helped launch him toward full-blown child star status just one year before Home Alone. Critically, Uncle Buck didn’t quite reach the universal acclaim of some of Hughes’ other films, currently sitting at 62% on Rotten Tomatoes. But financially? It was another hit, pulling in $72.9 million at the box office. It’s also since earned a dedicated and more-than-justfied cult following.
Is ‘Uncle Buck’ Worth Watching?

Interestingly, iconic critic Roger Ebert wasn’t one of those taken with the movie — in fact, he felt the humor wasn’t the kindest, although this is not a usual take. His review stated that Uncle Buck aims for warmth but often lands in discomfort, creating a tonal tug-of-war between heartfelt family comedy and moments that feel oddly mean-spirited.
Perhaps the title character in “Uncle Buck” was inspired by the hapless, lovable character played by Candy in Hughes’ 1987 comedy, “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.” This could be a glimpse of the same man’s life when he’s not on the road. But Hughes is usually the master of the right note, the right line of dialogue, and this time there’s an uncomfortable undercurrent in the material. The movie is filled with good intentions and good feelings, but they seem to conceal another side of Uncle Buck – a side that makes the movie feel creepy and subtly unwholesome.
Uncle Buck leaves Prime Video at the end of this month.

Release Date

August 16, 1989

Runtime

100 minutes

Director

John Hughes

Jean Louisa Kelly

Tia Russell

Gaby Hoffmann

Maizy Russell