Roger Ebert gave this movie 1,5 stars out of 4. I don't agree, and I think he just didn't understand the slightly misanthropic elements in the humor. Buck is clearly not normal, so why be surprised that he has these dark sides? This movie is watchable and in the end it has a positive message. The fact that Buck is such a hopeless person, maybe he just needed to find himself and also being allowed to be himself? His sister in law can't stand him, but she is frankly not very nice herself, and when she comes back home and her daughter throws herself into her arms and says she loves her, we feel with them all. Another reviewer said it like this: "Buck saves his family and in the end saves himself." I think that is pretty heavy stuff in what is supposed to be a comedy.
Review of Uncle Buck
