Mark Carney, the Canadian prime minister, attended the premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. He spoke to the audience, lauding John Candy for standing up to bullies in many of his roles. Carney said there would be "a scene where John would pivot, having been pushed too far. Don't push a Canadian too far." Carney also said, "We're in a more dangerous, divided and intolerant world. In Canada, our sovereignty, our identity has come under threat. And when Canadians heard those threats, they channeled their inner John Candy. Stood up, elbows up, wrote our own lines."
John Candy co-starred in Splash (1984) with director Colin Hanks' father, Tom Hanks. While not mentioned in this documentary, the two actors also acted together in Volunteers (1985) one year later.