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It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and that means people are gathering around to watch lots of Christmas movies. If not an outright Christmas movie, they also tend to seek out good-natured entertainment that the whole family can enjoy. Enter “Uncle Buck,” which is a stone cold John Candy classic that has been beloved by audiences ever since it first hit theaters 35 years ago. Case in point, the film is once again finding its audience on streaming as the holidays approach.
Director John Hughes’ 1989 comedy is currently trending on Amazon Prime Video’s most-watched movie list at number nine, per FlixPatrol. While “Uncle Buck” is not technically a Christmas movie, it has a lot of the hallmarks of one, including good-hearted humor, “Home Alone” actor Macaulay Culkin, and yes, John Candy, star of “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” (a film that Candy helped make a classic with his heartfelt improvisation). So it’s not exactly hard to see why people are seeking it out at this time of year.
For those who may need a little refresher, “Uncle Buck” stars Candy as Buck Russell, a responsibility-eschewing bachelor who winds up in charge of his nephew and nieces during a family crisis. As Buck attempts to adjust to life in the suburbs while charming his younger relatives, however, his carefree attitude rubs certain members of his family the wrong way.
Like so many other John Hughes films, “Uncle Buck” was a hit in its day, and even spawned a TV spinoff which, well, the less said about it, the better. (Mind you, I’m not referring to the short-lived “Uncle Buck” reboot series from 2016, either.) But this was the ’80s and such things were customary at the time. It’s easy to forget that there was a “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” TV show as well. There was also a “Rambo” cartoon made for kids, but that’s another conversation entirely.
It’s the perfect time of year for Uncle Buck
Currently, Prime Video’s top 10 is straight-up dominated by Christmas movies. Also making the cut at the moment are “White Christmas,” “Love Actually,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “Jingle All the Way,” “The Holiday,” and “Red One.” It’s just that time of year! It’s the same reason that Bruce Willis’ “Die Hard” was recently in the top 10. People go back to the holiday classics this time of year. It’s like clockwork.
For the same reasons, it’s not surprising to see “Uncle Buck” on this list. Again, it’s not a Christmas movie, but it does bring with it a lot of the same vibes one wants from a movie when spending time with family and whatnot. There’s something about Candy as a performer that is so charming and comforting. It’s like a big, warm cinematic hug. This film, in particular, does a great job of emphasizing that quality in him. That’s probably why making “Uncle Buck” was more like a playground for its cast than a difficult job.
As for where one would rank “Uncle Buck” in terms of John Candy’s best movies? That’s a matter of personal opinion as the man starred in some true classics. Sure, “Spaceballs” and, on the other end of the spectrum, “JFK” certainly have to be up there. But any top 10 list without “Uncle Buck” in it would feel incomplete, in my humble opinion.
“Uncle Buck” is also available on Blu-ray and DVD via Amazon.
