Uncle Buck

Uncle Buck
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJohn Hughes
Written byJohn Hughes
Produced by
  • John Hughes
  • Tom Jacobson
Starring
CinematographyRalf D. Bode
Edited by
Music byIra Newborn
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • August 16, 1989 (1989-08-16)
Running time
100 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$79.2 million

Uncle Buck is a 1989 American comedy film written and directed by John Hughes. Starring John Candy and Amy Madigan, the film follows Buck (Candy), an irresponsible bachelor who is unexpectedly called upon to care for his brother's three children after a family emergency.

Filmed primarily in and around Chicago, Uncle Buck was the first film Hughes wrote, directed, and produced under his multi-picture agreement with Universal Pictures. Much of the production was based at the vacant New Trier High School in Northfield, Illinois, where several of the film's interior sets were constructed.

Released by Universal Pictures on August 16, 1989, the film opened at number one at the North American box office, remaining there for four consecutive weeks, and ultimately grossed $79.2 million worldwide. Critical reception was mixed, with reviewers finding the film uneven but generally praising Hughes and the comedic chemistry between Candy and the young cast.

Uncle Buck later inspired two television adaptations, Uncle Buck (1990) and Uncle Buck (2016), as well as the 1991 Malayalam-language remake Uncle Bun.