"Uncle Buck was not, however, universally loved by the film critics. Roger Ebert complained that the film's violent implications, such as Buck taking a power drill to a teenage boy, made for "an uncomfortable undercurrent in the material" that was too dark for its own good."

Ok. First of all, no Roger, it wasn't too dark. Sometimes life is too dark in those situations and we need an Uncle Buck to help us or be an Uncle Buck and do that stuff. It's also implied in the movie that some of those situations could've been worse if he hadn't butted in the way he did. (If memory serves me right.)

Second of all, one of my fav lines from that movie is "Do you still have both kneecaps?" cuz it's funny (yes, kinda dark, but funny) -- especially cuz of how he said it and I can see it totally be as effective irl.

Thirdly, the movie wouldn't be the same without some of the darker elements. Go watch the movie if you haven't. It's good! One of my fav films Candy is in.