Chuck & Buck (2000)
78%RT Audience Score: 66%
Awards & Nominations: 6 wins & 12 nominations
As poignant as it is unsettling, Chuck & Buck uses the complex dynamic between two men as fuel for untangling a rich assortment of thought-provoking themes
Chuck & Buck is a movie that’s sweet, scary, and thought-provoking all at the same time. It’s a dark comedy that’s not for everyone, but if you’re ready to be challenged, then this is the movie for you. The film is about a man-child who becomes obsessed with his childhood friend, and it’s a bizarre and wonderfully abstract film that’s not to be missed. The movie pulls off a remarkable balancing act between creepy and funny, and it’s surprisingly affecting. Overall, Chuck & Buck is a thought-provoking jet-black comedy that’s well worth seeking out.
Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures, Penthouse Video Long Road Productions,
Distributor
Artisan Entertainment
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for sexuality and language
Year of Release
2000
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 39m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 21, 2000 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 19, 2000
Genre(s)
Lgbtq+
Keyword(s)
starring Mike White, Chris Weitz, Lupe Ontiveros, Beth Colt, Paul Weitz, Maya Rudolph, directed by Miguel Arteta, written by Mike White, LGBTQ+, childhood, adulthood, obsession, stalker, friendship, loss, record executive, playwriting, theater manager, box office gross, $1.1M, R rating, Dolby sound mix, Artisan Entertainment, reviewed by Gavin Smith, David Germain, Michael O’Sullivan, Stephen Hunter, David Edelstein, Dennis Harvey, Jan Stuart, Micheal Compton, Michael Dequina, Ron Wells, Matthew Turner, Jean Lowerison, produced by Matthew Greenfield
Worldwide gross: $1,182,065
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,050,192
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,412
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 223,576
US/Canada gross: $1,055,671
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,830,972
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,055
US/Canada opening weekend: $72,831
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $126,319
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,849
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $250,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $433,604
Production budget ranking: 2,119
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $233,496
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $1,383,093
ROI to date (est.): 207%
ROI ranking: 618
Chris Weitz – Chuck
Lupe Ontiveros – Beverly Franco
Beth Colt – Carlyn
Paul Weitz – Sam
Maya Rudolph – Jamila
Director(s)
Miguel Arteta
Writer(s)
Mike White
Producer(s)
Matthew Greenfield
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
6 wins & 12 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (88) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (74) | Rotten (14)
The film is pretty negligible, pointless, almost an exercise.
April 10, 2018
Gavin Smith
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Chuck & Buck is a dark misfit of a movie that’s sweet, scary, thought-provoking and off-putting all in one package. It’s a bold, original achievement.
January 18, 2018
David Germain
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
Skirts stalker cliches and grown-up-kid-in-a-man’s-body caricatures.
February 12, 2008
Michael O’Sullivan
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Do you like the clammy as opposed to the scary? Do you like dread rather than drama, anguish and emotional coagulation rather than screamfests?
February 12, 2008
Stephen Hunter
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Chuck & Buck might be the most perversely agreeable stalker picture ever made.
February 12, 2008
David Edelstein
Slate
TOP CRITIC
That Chuck & Buck holds attention despite — or partly due to — its murky, troubling central conceit can be credited to execution that’s stealthy and low-key throughout.
February 12, 2008
Dennis Harvey
Variety
TOP CRITIC
The best news about [the film’s] unexpected second act is Lupe Ontiveros, who plays a pragmatic theater manager whom Buck recruits to helm his playwriting debut.
April 5, 2022
Jan Stuart
The Advocate
This bizarre and wonderfully abstract film is not to be missed.
April 13, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Micheal Compton
Bowling Green Daily News
Creepy, funny, yet surprisingly affecting, Miguel Arteta’s darkly comic drama pulls off a remarkable balancing act.
January 7, 2010 | Rating: 3.5/4
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com
Of all the films to premiere at Sundance 2000, there is one movie that best represented what indie film is supposed to be.
December 6, 2005 | Rating: 4/5
Ron Wells
Film Threat
Thought-provoking jet-black comedy that may not be for all tastes, but is well-worth seeking out.
October 30, 2002 | Rating: 5/5
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon
This is a thoughtful, difficult film. See it if you are ready to be challenged.
October 21, 2002
Jean Lowerison
San Diego Metropolitan…
Plot
Buck is a man-child who has lived his existence in a life of Romper Room, kindergarten collages, and lollipops. When his mother dies suddenly, Buck remembers his old childhood friend Chuck, with whom he feels a need to reconnect after having invited him to his mother’s funeral. Buck treks out to Los Angeles where Chuck, an up-and-coming music record executive, is living his life. Buck ends up developing an obsession with Chuck and begins stalking him.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Mike White, who plays Buck in the film, also wrote the screenplay for Chuck & Buck.
Miguel-Arteta.jpg
