John Candy: I Like Me

I remember standing in my garage, a radio on, wondering if Kurt Cobain's Rome overdose was going to be fatal (big Nirvana fan back then)... and the good news was, he was alive... which wouldn't last, of course, but... what was said right after was far more shocking than Cobain...

John Candy was dead!

This is a good documentary, heartfelt and kindhearted, but I wish they did a deeper dive into his earlier performances, or at least the fact he was actually in some movies before even SCTV, which had made him well-known before becoming a movie star...

He had a speaking role in CLASS of 44 (sequel to SUMMER OF 42), a bigger part in the thriller THE SILENT PARTNER and two low-budget comedies with his first straight man... no not Tom Hanks or Eugene Levy but Lawrence Dane, a character-actor only remembered for being in a few David Cronenberg movies later on...

John Candy did a lot of things, and some are considered bad, but I don't consider HARRY CRUMB a bomb as they tried insinuating here... It wasn't perfect but I enjoyed it... They could have centered more on the horrible NOTHING BUT TROUBLE, although that wouldn't have been fair for Dan Aykroyd, who provides soulful (no surprise) commentary throughout...

Other special guest stars were okay, particuarly Macauly Culkin, special since UNCLE BUCK is, in my opinion, the epitome of John Candy's best work... and you don't see Culkin interviewed a lot since he's become a kind of recluse...

But did there need so much Conan O'Brien? At one point they actually went back and did a kind of mini-bio on Conan, which was strange... he met Candy one time... I dig Conan but that was the only really snag here, albeit a small one...

For the most part, though, we have famous and worthy people who truly worked with John, like his SCTV dues-paying cohorts as well as other Second City alumni...

Starting out with Bill Murray doing that thing that post TIGER KING documentaries do... showing the actor talking to the unseen director before the actual interview begins, as if capturing an unintentional moment but seeming rather contrived, put-on...

Thankfully, however, this is not that kind of new-fangled retro-doc, but is really something his lookalike son and daughter provided as a kind of family Valentine that, no matter how lightweight they wind up celebrating such a literally heavyweight talent, is moving enough to pass the time with a smile...

John Candy was a unique kind of comic actor: edgy enough to not be too happy-go-lucky mainstream, and optimistic enough not to be one of those self-loathing neurotic types...

Overall, he was exactly who he was, and, I guess, for this particular showcase, that's JUST GOOD enough for me.

Through some fascinating and deeply-insightful input from those who loved, admired, and worked closely with the genius who was John Candy, this memorandum of his life is very impressive and yet horribly depressing. John's contributions to our planet are hard to even describe, but if you want to feel the loses through the memories of those who got to spend time with him you can't ask for more than the interviews this film offers. Many of them bring much of who he really was into the light for us to see. And frankly much of it makes a lot of us "fans" look rightfully bad. I double-dog dare you not to tear up or outright bawl your eyes out during many scenes. I certainly fell in love and felt his pains. I felt a burning need to say "thank you" one last time, too.

The world lost a lot of sunshine the day John left us, and this documentary reminds that our so-called "celebrities" are people just like us, and that treating them as anything but is a shameful way to live. I very much recommend watching this, whether you understood or appreciated John Candy or not. You'll walk away with your heartstrings tugged. He was a good human.

"Yeah, you're right, I talk too much. I also listen too much. I could be a cold-hearted cynic like you, but I don't like to hurt people's feelings. Well, you think what you want about me; I'm not changing. I like me."

This sweet, vulnerable, generous, genuine good guy who is John Candy, is a child himself who wants to make everyone happy. He seems to have truly experienced the lives and emotions of the humble characters he played in films and television. He gives to everyone, struggles to find the right path, and is at his best when engaging others. In life and on-screen Candy overflows with humor, heart, humanity, humbleness, and authenticity. This inspiring documentary makes that clear while utilizing archival materials, heartfelt testimonies from other story tellers, and interviews with those who knew Candy well including Dan Aykroyd, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Martin Short, Candy's family members, and more.

"I don't think I want to know a six-year-old who isn't a dreamer, or a silly-heart. And I sure don't want to know one who takes their student career seriously."

Ryan Reynolds (one of the producers), Candy's son, daughter, and wife, and even Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney were at this world premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. Carney offered keen and apt insight into the characters that Candy played, saying that in many of his roles Candy was pushed too far, but always stood up for himself and others in the end. "Don't push a Canadian too far," Carney said, referring both to Candy and to Canadians in interactions their southern neighbor. Director Colin Hanks, Ryan Reynolds, and Jennifer and Chris (Candy's daughter and son) all answered questions after the screening. Each agrees with me that Planes, Trains and Automobiles is Candy's best role.

Colin Hanks did a tremendous job with this film -- I feel that he caught the true essence of John Candy. It is very obvious that John Candy was an authentic "good guy" throughout his career. It's just sad that we lost him when we did, but his work will live on for ages. This is a great documentary, highly recommended.

If you thought John Candy was a good guy before, then this wonderful documentary directed by Colin Hanks seals it. I knew John the film star, but there's so much more - from the early days of Second City right through to his untimely death on the set of Wagons East. From old friends like Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray, no one has a bad word to say about him. The last 20 minutes is hard, but hang around as there are extra scenes after the credits.