{"id":2071988,"date":"2025-10-06T10:32:33","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T10:32:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2071988"},"modified":"2025-10-06T10:32:33","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T10:32:33","slug":"john-candy-documentary-provides-intimate-poignant-and-yes-funny-portrayal-of-a-giant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/john-candy-documentary-provides-intimate-poignant-and-yes-funny-portrayal-of-a-giant\/","title":{"rendered":"John Candy documentary provides intimate, poignant and, yes, funny portrayal of a giant"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cJohn Candy: I Like Me\u201d<\/a> is more love letter than documentary.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say that this Colin Hanks-directed film fails at the latter, it\u2019s more of testament to who John Candy was as a person and comedic actor. It\u2019s a memorable, engrossing character study that will serve as the opening film in the Chagrin Falls Documentary Film Festival Tuesday, Oct. 7<\/a>. It will premiere on Prime Video Friday, Oct. 10.<\/p>\n

At one point, one person providing testimony as to who Candy was asks how could anyone laugh when he walked into a room.<\/p>\n

That embodied a man who was both large in stature and in soul. He appeared in a host of bad 1980s-era comedies that excepting his appearances remain utterly forgettable. They include \u201cArmed and Dangerous\u201d and \u201cOnly the Lonely.\u201d<\/p>\n

But no actor should be completely criticized for career choices and there were plenty directors who knew how to maximize Candy\u2019s immense talents, including when he was the headliner. For reference: check him playing opposite a pre- \u201cHome Alone\u201d Macauley Culkin<\/a> in \u201cUncle Buck,\u201d directed by John Hughes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We saw him as the leader of polka band transporting a desperate mother (Catherine O\u2019Hara) back to Chicago where her son \u2013 again, Culkin \u2013 is by himself in \u201cHome Alone,\u201d directed by Chris Columbus, is a masterwork of stealing a scene comedically. Mel Brooks saw him as the big, huggable dog Barf in the classic \u201cStar Wars\u201d satire \u201cSpaceballs.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Hanks proves wise in cribbing part of his title from the quintessential Candy role as traveling salesman Del Griffith, who gloms on to fellow Thanksgiving holiday traveler Neal Page (Steve Martin) in another Hughes classic \u201cPlanes, Trains & Automobiles,\u201d <\/a>a film that has evolved into of all things a classic for Turkey Day.<\/p>\n

Candy\u2019s turn is hilarious and, as fans of the film know, eventually heartbreakingly tragic as Griffith and Page endure any number of mishaps, some caused by the former and endured with much consternation by the latter.<\/p>\n

The documentary\u2019s title comes from a monologue Griffith gives in the film after Page rips into him for all of their misfortune, most of which he blames Griffith. It may be Candy\u2019s ultimate performance as you can see all of the pain in his character\u2019s eyes helping to clue the viewer into the fact there is something else at play.<\/p>\n

It would be easy to call it a tears-of-a-clown moment, given the prevalence of a lot of those who provide laughter in the entertainment realm often battle hidden demons.<\/p>\n

\n