Uncle Buck

Country: United States

Language: English

Release Date: August 16, 1989

Runtime 99 Minutes

Rating PG

## Plot

Bob and Cindy Russell have recently moved from Indianapolis with their three children, 15-year-old Tia, 8-year-old Miles, and 6-year-old Maizy, to the Chicago suburbs because of Bob's promotion. One night, the Russells receive a phone call informing them that Cindy's father has suffered a heart attack. Resentful about the life she was forced to leave behind in Indianapolis and feeling her parents neglect her and her siblings, Tia blames the heart attack on Cindy, leaving her relationship with her mother fraught. Bob and Cindy unsuccessfully attempt to find a carer for the children, and are forced to turn to Bob's brother, Buck, whom Cindy believes to be unreliable and a bad influence. Buck lives in a small apartment in Chicago, is a heavy drinker and smoker, drives a run-down 1977 Mercury Marquis Brougham Coupe, and earns his living by betting on rigged horse races. His long-term girlfriend, Chanice, desires to get married and start a family, while Buck wants to retain his freedom and lack of responsibility; Chanice warns him that he will eventually end up alone.
Buck quickly befriends Miles and Maizy, whom he has never met, but Tia remains distant and rebellious. He settles into the Russell home and learns that he has been cropped out of photos and has otherwise been forgotten. Over the next several days, Buck takes the children bowling, makes enormous pancakes for Miles' birthday, ejects a drunken party clown from the property, defends Maizy from her school's strict assistant principal, and microwaves laundry because he cannot operate the washing machine. When Buck meets Tia's obnoxious boyfriend, Bug, he warns her that Bug is only interested in her for sex and repeatedly thwarts her plans to sneak out with him. In retaliation for Buck's interference, Tia convinces Chanice that Buck is cheating on her with a single neighbor, Marcy. When Chanice walks in on Marcy dancing with Buck despite his protests, she ends their relationship. Buck laments that people used to envy his carefree life, but he realizes that lifestyle is no longer admirable.
After Tia sneaks out to a party, Buck decides to look for her instead of attending a horse race that would provide him with enough money for the entire year, and begs Chanice to look after Miles and Maizy. At the party, Buck forces open the door to a bedroom where he thinks Bug is taking advantage of Tia, but he finds Bug with another girl. He gags and ties up Bug and locks him in his car's trunk, then finds a tearful Tia, who admits Buck was right about Bug's intentions. Opening the trunk, Buck forces Bug to apologize to Tia before letting him go. Bug threatens to sue Buck, but Buck hits him with golf balls, causing him to flee in terror.
Tia reconciles with Buck, then mends his relationship with Chanice by admitting her lie and telling Chanice that Buck would make a good husband and father. Buck also agrees to take a steady job at Chanice's automobile tire shop. Bob and Cindy return from Indianapolis after Cindy's father recovers, and as Tia surprises her mother with a hug, Cindy promises that their relationship will improve. As he prepares to leave, Buck invites Tia to meet up with him in the city before exchanging a loving goodbye.

## Cast:

* John Candy as Buck Russell
* Jean Louisa Kelly as Tia Russell
* Macaulay Culkin as Miles Russell
* Gaby Hoffmann as Maizy Russell
* Amy Madigan as Chanice Kobolowski
* Jay Underwood as Bug
* Laurie Metcalf as Marcie Dahlgren-Frost
* Suzanne Shepherd as Asst. Principal Anita Hoargarth
* Mike Starr as Pooter the Clown
* Garrett M. Brown as Bob Russell
* Elaine Bromka as Cindy Russell
* Dennis Cockrum as Pal