John Candy: A Heartfelt Homage to a Canadian Comedy Titan
Storyline: The remarkable journey of the late, renowned John Candy — from his nascent years as a standout member of SCTV, to his meteoric rise in Hollywood, and culminating in his untimely demise at the age of forty-three.
Review: Reflecting on the loss of John Candy, I vividly recall the profound impact of his passing. Perhaps it was his youthful vitality or the simple fact that he was an actor I cherished deeply. At the tender age of twelve, the realization that the man responsible for so many childhood chuckles had departed was staggering. His death reverberated globally, but it struck a particularly poignant chord in Canada, where it became a prolonged national narrative. His departure was a genuine national tragedy, given the profound affection he commanded.
Ryan Reynolds and Colin Hanks have joined forces to create a poignant homage to the comedy icon, now available for streaming on Prime Video. The film, which elicited audible sobs from the captivated TIFF audience I witnessed, is a tender portrayal of a man who, it turns out, was precisely the kind of person you'd hope he'd be, and more. His peers, including Bill Murray, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas, Dan Aykroyd, Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, Tom Hanks, and Steve Martin, have spoken about him with immense fondness. He was the embodiment of the life-of-the-party, big-kid persona that shone through on screen.
Yet, much like his finest performances, there was a depth to Candy. While he cherished bringing laughter to others, a sense of melancholy seemed to linger. His father's untimely death from a heart attack at thirty-five, followed by his brother's similar fate around the same age, left Candy with profound anxiety. His weight, often used as a punchline in Hollywood, only compounded his woes. Hanks' film masterfully incorporates interview footage, capturing Candy's discomfort when his weight was mocked, a poignant example being a particularly distressing clip of him experiencing a panic attack during a satellite interview.
Above all, the film is a celebration of his legacy. It dedicates considerable time to his creative partnership with John Hughes, a collaboration that Macaulay Culkin asserts was more integral to Hughes's work than even himself or any member of the Brat Pack. Mel Brooks also shares his memories, reflecting on his friendship with Candy and the late Carl Reiner's admiration for him during the filming of Summer Rental. There is not a single negative remark about him.
Typically, I would caution against a documentary veering into idolatry. However, given the countless stories about Candy, he truly was the kind of person everyone says he was: a genuinely good man. Yet, as the film points out, he was never able to fully recognize his own talents, overshadowed by constant fear and anxiety. That's the melancholic aspect — but it's also incredibly touching to see the love he left behind, especially from his adoring children, both of whom were present at the premiere (you can view their remarks here: Instagram link).
This is a must-watch for John Candy enthusiasts. And for those who know him only from classics like 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' or 'Spaceballs', this documentary offers a more profound, emotive perspective on his extraordinary body of work.
John Candy: I Like Me is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Source: JoBlo.com
