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"CHUCK & BUCK"
(2000) (Mike White, Chris Weitz) (R)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Moderate Mild Heavy None None
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Mild None None None Extreme
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Heavy Mild Mild Moderate Minor


QUICK TAKE:
Drama: A 27-year-old simpleton begins stalking his former childhood friend, hoping to rekindle the sexual games and experimentation they once practiced when they were kids.
PLOT:
Charlie Sitter (CHRIS WEITZ) is a successful recording industry executive who's just received a note from someone he hasn't heard from in years. It's from Buck O'Brien (MIKE WHITE), a 27-year-old simpleton whose mother had just died after a long illness. Although he hasn't seen Buck in sixteen some years, he and his live-in fiancée, Carlyn (BETH COLT), fly across the country to attend the funeral.

There, Carlyn learns that Buck and "Chuck" were once close childhood friends, and Buck seems to be a sweet natured, but lonely man. As such, she and Charlie invite him to visit them sometime in Los Angeles. Charlie, however, begins to think that was a mistake when Buck comes on to him sexually in a bathroom during the wake.

Despite Charlie then essentially closing any possibility of Buck visiting them, the persistent young man packs up his belongings - mostly childhood toys and mementos - and moves to L.A. Once there and setting up home in a motel, Buck starts stalking Charlie at home and at work, finally building up the courage to approach him once again.

Not surprisingly, Charlie isn't thrilled to see Buck or learn that he's moved close-by and wants to rekindle their close friendship. Despite Charlie giving him the cold shoulder, Buck continues with his efforts that include patiently waiting outside a children's theater playhouse across the street from Charlie's office.

There, he eventually meets Beverly (LUPE ONTIVEROS), the house manager, and after reading a script for "The Wizard of Oz," has an epiphany. He'll write a theatrical version of his previous and current relationship with Charlie, call it "Hank & Frank," and use it to show Charlie how he feels. Hiring Beverly to manage and direct the one-night production and untalented actor Sam (PAUL WEITZ) to play the part of Chuck, Buck hopes that his efforts will rekindle their friendship.

As the days count down to the play and Charlie and Carlyn try to get on with their lives despite Buck's persistent and growing obsession with Chuck, it's only a matter of time before things come to a head with big revelations about their past surfacing that cause the two men to ponder their past and future relationship together.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
Unless they're fans of someone in the cast, it's highly unlikely.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R
For sexuality and language.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • MIKE WHITE plays a 27-year-old simpleton who's still fixated on his childhood friend and the sexual games they once played, despite them not seeing each other for the past sixteen years. As such, he essentially starts stalking his old friend and tries to come on to him and another man sexually.
  • CHRIS WEITZ plays his former childhood friend, a record executive who's mostly polite to his stalker, but soon tires of his persistence. He cusses some and eventually has sexual relations with that man (possibly as a way of making him leave).
  • BETH COLT plays Charlie's compassionate fiancée who lives with him and tries to help both Charlie and Buck through this situation.
  • LUPE ONTIVEROS plays a house manager for a children's theater who agrees to produce and direct Buck's play. She turns out to be a pro at doing so, uses some profanity, and smokes a few times.
  • PAUL WEITZ plays an actor who gets a part in Buck's play, uses strong profanity, drinks beer, and refers to women as "bitches," although he is one of the few people to befriend Buck.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
    Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


    (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    The following is a quick look at the content found in this R rated drama. Profanity is rated as extreme due to at least 17 uses of the "f" word, while other profanities and colorful phrases are also used. One character is fixated on another character and essentially stalks him, all due to sexual games and experimentation they performed together as childhood friends.

    As such, some related and briefly graphic dialogue occurs and we see two men kissing and then the strong inference that one is having oral sex with the other. We also see a heterosexual (but unmarried) couple in bed under the sheets, kissing and possibly having sex (or close to it). Beyond the stalking, other bad attitudes are present, as is some smoking, while various characters drink liquor in different scenes.

    Finally, some tense family moments are present in the form of the death of a parent, and a kid's hand is injured by a firecracker that exploded in it (not seen, although we briefly see the mildly bloody results). Should you still be concerned about the film's content and appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, we suggest that you take a closer look at our more detailed content listings.


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • Buck pours himself a rum and Coke at his mother's wake, while other people, including Charlie, have drinks that may be alcoholic.
  • People have drinks at a party, including Buck who has another rum and Coke, and Carlyn who has some wine.
  • Sam and Buck drink beer and we then see that they've had several.
  • Sam has a beer.
  • We see that Sam and Buck have had more beer.
  • Chuck and some business associates have drinks in a bar. Later, he orders a martini while Buck orders a rum and Coke.
  • Beverly and others have wine with dinner.
  • People have champagne at a wedding reception.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • We see a dead body (with eyes and mouth agape), but beyond being dead and in that pose, there's no blood or gore.
  • A kid's palm is bloody after a firecracker explodes in it (not seen).
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • Buck becomes obsessed with Charlie and starts stalking him and his fiancée.
  • Some may see Charlie and Carlyn as having both for living together before being married (they're engaged).
  • Some may see Charlie as having both for giving Buck the cold shoulder and not dealing with a troubling past that's partially led to what's currently occurring.
  • Sam refers to women as "bitches" or "chicks."
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • None.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • None.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "You f*cking bitch," "I f*cked up," "What the f*ck?" "Get the f*ck out of here," "I don't give a sh*t," "What the hell?" "Hell hole," "Moron," "Nuts" (crazy), "Freaking out," "Pissed off," "Ch*ck" (for woman) and "Bitch" (said several times).
  • A kid talks about trying to put a firecracker up the family pet's rectum (not seen).
  • Sam makes the gesture for male masturbation with his hand.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • None.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • None.
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 17 "f" words (2 used sexually, as is the term "hump"), 9 "s" words, 4 slang terms for male genitals ("d*ck" and "c*ck"), 2 slang terms for female genitals ("tw*t"), 4 asses (2 used with "hole"), 3 hells, 3 uses each of "Jesus" and "Oh my God" and 1 use of "God" as exclamations.
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • Buck tries groping Charlie in the bathroom (both men are clothed) and Charlie gets mad and leaves.
  • After asking if Carlyn can hear them, Buck tells Charlie that he wants to play the game where "You stick your d*ck in my mouth, and I stick mine in yours. Chuck and Buck, suck and f*ck." Charlie then tells Buck to leave.
  • Buck does the peeping Tom bit and watches Charlie and Carlyn in bed as they kiss and move their bodies against each other under the sheets (we can't tell if they're having sex or not).
  • Beverly shows a little bit of cleavage.
  • Sam talks to Buck about a woman and that he wonders what her "tw*t" looks like and then acts as if he wants her to show him.
  • Seeing that Sam is asleep or passed out in bed (but fully clothed), Buck climbs into bed with him (also fully clothed), puts his arm around him, and then reaches down to his clothed crotch. Sam then wakes up and angrily asks what he's doing.
  • Carlyn meets with Buck to find out what's going on with them and he tells her that he and Chuck used to do sexual things together. Carlyn says that's a completely normal thing for kids to do (experimentation), but that Buck needs professional help to get over it.
  • Charlie returns to Buck's motel room under the condition that one night with him will mean that Buck will leave him alone forever. After some hesitation, the two men passionately kiss and we then see Buck move down toward Charlie's crotch (while the former sits and then lies back on the bed) and we see his pleasured reaction. We later see the two men in bed after they're done (but don't see any nudity or further activity).
  • After Buck apologizes to Sam about earlier groping him, Sam asks if Buck wants to "hump" him. Buck says that he doesn't and Sam is glad because he doesn't want to "hump" him either.
  • SMOKING
  • Beverly smokes several times and it looks like Buck's sick mother has a lit cigarette in an ashtray near her in the opening scene.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • Buck's mother dies (he finds her dead on the couch, her eyes and mouth agape) and we then see a brief funeral service and wake. He later mentions that he misses his mother.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Childhood friendships that often change or don't last into adulthood.
  • Charlie and Buck's sexual experimentation in the past as kids, as well as Charlie's decision to have sexual relations with Buck again as adults (e.g. Does he do it simply to get Buck off his back - since Buck promised he'd disappear after just one more night together - or does he feel something for his old friend?).
  • Obsession with other people and/or stalking.
  • VIOLENCE
  • A kid's palm is bloody after a firecracker explodes in it (not seen).



  • Reviewed June 5, 2000 / Posted July 21, 2000

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