Films involving Learning Difficulties

Learning Difficulties Minor

TITLE

Chuck & Buck (2000)

ALT__TITLE

DISABILITY

Learning Difficulty (borderline)

COUNTRY

USA

LENGTH

GENRE

Drama

DIRECTOR

Miguel Arteta

CAST

Mike White

Chris Weitz

Lupe Ontiveros

NOTES

After his mother dies whom he has been caring for 27 year old Buck meets at the funeral a childhood friend, Chuck. Buck wants to regain the friendship they had as children.
Unfortunately Buck is completely socially inept during the 5 years he's spent caring for his mother he doesn't appear to have socialised. There is also the suggestion that she was looking after him. He is referred to as mentally impaired but if so this only impinges on his social skills. In pursuit of Chuck Buck moves to L.A. and confronts Chuck and his girlfriend. They quickly realise he is someone they'd rather avoid, Chuck especially after Buck has made sexual advances. Meanwhile Buck gets involved in writing a play which somewhat unrealistically is accepted by the manager of a small theatre. He does pay her $25 an hour but this does not wholly explain how the play gets to performance. Unless it is very good though we can't tell and it looks like a vanity production. There is going to be only one performance and it is imperative that Chuck attends. After all the play is called Hank and Frank and is about the two of them. Buck has been ostracised by Chuck because of his stalking but the girlfriend persuades him to go.
Chuck finds the play disturbing but does go back to Buck's flat and they have sex which reveals that Buck was not totally deluded about the nature of their friendship. This appears to have some cathartic value for both of them. Though Buck still wants to be Chuck's best (and only?) friend Chuck gets married and Buck becomes friends with one of the actors in his play.
The ending of the film shows both to be settled though not convincingly.
The film is interesting but one can't really claim it is about mental disability. Buck's is a case of arrested development like he's socially stuck at the age of 11 when his best friend moved away. Worth watching to discuss the ambiguity of Buck's condition.

Notes