He’s Back. And He Still Can’t Cook.
Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Jean Louisa Kelly, Gaby Hoffmann, Kieran Culkin
Thirty-seven years later, the legacy of lovable disaster lives on. Miles Russell (Macaulay Culkin) has grown up to become the family’s resident black sheep—a commitment-phobe, single, delightfully underemployed man whose vintage muscle car announces his arrival with a distinct, backfiring roar. Miles embodies the chaotic, easy-going spirit of his late Uncle Buck, finding joy in life’s simple, analog pleasures while avoiding anything resembling a 9-to-5 schedule.
The Crisis Call
Miles’s life of comfortable low-stakes mayhem is shattered by a call from his older sister, Tia Russell-Burnham (Jean Louisa Kelly). Tia is now a high-powered, hyper-organized, and perpetually stressed corporate executive whose life is governed by calendars and efficiency. When a catastrophic merger crisis demands her presence overseas for a week, Tia faces a devastating dilemma: she has exhausted all acceptable childcare options. In a moment of pure desperation, she calls the only relative free: Uncle Miles.
Miles is tasked with watching Tia’s three Gen-Alpha children—a trio of tech-obsessed, highly supervised kids who treat the outside world like a low-resolution simulation:
- Leo (14): A cynical coding prodigy whose communication primarily consists of passive-aggressive GIFs and eye-rolls.
- Chloe (10): A meticulous junior vlogger who documents her entire life in 15-second clips and judges everything by its aesthetic value.
- Finn (6): A silent, highly skilled saboteur who communicates entirely through sophisticated smart-device requests and screen tapping.
An Analog Intervention
Miles immediately imposes a digital blackout, confiscating every tablet, phone, and smart device, replacing screens with the terrifying reality of unstructured play. He channels his inner Buck, turning the Burnham’s pristine, minimalist suburban home into a functional disaster zone. From attempting to cook his legendary, manhole-cover-sized pancakes (which inevitably requires the fire department) to turning a simple trip to the supermarket into an unsanctioned Go-Kart derby, Miles forces the kids to confront the beautiful, messy chaos of life offline.
Macaulay Culkin delivers a signature performance that is equal parts charmingly awkward and profoundly warm, managing to channel the beloved, gentle anarchy of John Candy while adding his own dry, sardonic wit. Supporting roles, potentially featuring Kieran Culkin as Miles’s similarly eccentric brother and Gaby Hoffmann as a former flame or skeptical neighbor, ground the story in true familial affection.
The Russell Legacy is a hilarious, tear-jerking tribute to the original, demonstrating that sometimes, the family member who seems least equipped to lead is the one who remembers how to live. Miles teaches the kids that not everything needs a protocol, and in doing so, he finally learns that responsibility doesn’t mean sacrificing your identity—it just means having someone to cook terrible pancakes for.