Chuck & Buck

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Chuck & Buck

Promotional movie poster for the film
Directed by Miguel Arteta
Produced by Jason Kliot
Thomas Brown
Michael Escott
Charles J. Rusbasan
Judith Zarin
Written by Mike White
Starring Mike White
Chris Weitz
Paul Weitz
Lupe Ontiveros
Music by Joey Waronker
Tony Maxwell
Gwendolyn Sanford
Gregory Hormel
Cinematography Chuy Chávez
Editing by Jeff Betancourt
Distributed by Artisan Entertainment
Release date(s) Flag of the United States January 21, 2000 (Sundance Film Festival)
Flag of the United States July 14, 2000 (limited)
Flag of the United Kingdom November 17, 2000
Flag of France June 6, 2001
Running time 96 min.
Country U.S.A.
Language English
Budget $250,000 (estimate)
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Chuck & Buck is a 2000 film written by and starring Mike White, and directed by Miguel Arteta.

Contents

[edit] Plot

The film centers on Buck O'Brien (Mike White), an emotionally arrested amateur playwright who still lives with his mother despite being twenty-seven years old. Buck's mother dies unexpectedly and he invites his old childhood friend Chuck to the funeral. Chuck (who is now calling himself "Charlie") is a successful music industry exec with a fiancée named Carlyn (Beth Colt).

During their awkward reunion, Buck makes a sexual advance on Charlie in the bathroom. Charlie rebuffs him, and returns to Los Angeles with Carlyn, but not before extending an obligatory invitation for Buck to visit him there. Buck then withdraws $10,000 from his bank account, packs up his car, and takes up residence in a hotel in Los Angeles. He also begins scripting a play on a yellow legal pad.

Too shy to announce his presence right away, Buck starts trying to see Charlie at his office at Trimorph Entertainment. Buck also surreptitiously follows Charlie to find out where he lives.

While standing in front of the playhouse across the street from Charlie's job, he strikes up a conversation with Beverly, the house manager. Buck hires Beverly to produce his play; Buck then works up the nerve to approach Charlie and his girlfriend.

After being invited to a party that Charlie and Carlyn host, Buck becomes aware of just how far apart he and Chuck have grown. He feels rejected by Charlie's new friends. He also becomes resentful of Carlyn, who he erroneously believes is interfering with their friendship. As a result of this mind-set, Buck's behavior takes on an increasingly dark edge.

[edit] Genre

Chuck & Buck has been categorized by its distributor as a comedy, although it has been instead been described as a drama, or perhaps a dramedy.

[edit] Music

The film prominently features two songs:

[edit] See also