Director: Colin Hanks
Stars: John Candy, Bill Murray, Chris Candy
Synopsis: Explores the life and legacy of the iconic funnyman John Candy, who died of a heart attack in 1994, at the age of 43.
I’ll break the third wall of film criticism before referring to myself—self-involved as I already am—because watching Prime Video’s John Candy: I Like Me brought back a flood of nostalgia. My father was a huge Candy fan, growing up in Buffalo just outside the Canadian border, watching that lovable comedian with the thousand-watt smile dance across the screen like a sun-kissed, blonde bear. Candy brought joy to millions, with zany comedic characters, full of warmth and heart, that made a lasting impression on everyone who came in contact with him.
From producer Ryan Reynolds and director Colin Hanks, John Candy: I Like Me pulls back the curtain on a man who lived his life to the fullest; smoking, drinking, and eating, always trying to live up to the expectations of those around him, especially for the ones, his fans, who hardly know him. Candy never turned down a role, primarily to help a friend, nor would he ever turn down a meal, trying to fill the void of his father dying of a heart attack on his fifth birthday.
Not to mention, he was always too afraid to trim the excess baggage—lest he lose a career built on the foundation of the most boyishly funny and joyous double chin that could light up a room. It was an unmistakable blend of comedy and kindness, the signature of a performer whose waggish warmth made him an icon of his era.
Yet Hanks does an excellent job of capturing the emotion of those who loved him. This isn’t a puff piece where everyone simply goes through the motions of telling funny stories, like at a eulogy. No—Martin Short, Steve Martin, Dave Thomas, Tom Hanks, Andrea Martin, and Catherine O’Hara all beam with pride for Candy, both as a talent and as a human being, while also being overwhelmed with sadness over his passing. Their voices crack, eyes well up, and memories spill out—three decades after Candy’s fatal heart attack on the set of Wagons East.
John Candy: I Like Me—its title referencing the famous moment when Candy’s Del Griffith tells Steve Martin’s Neal Page, “I like me,” after being cruelly berated in the comedy classic Planes, Trains and Automobiles—draws a striking parallel between Candy and the media. There are countless interviews where reporters use praise as a beard for fat-shaming, framing his weight as his very identity. Candy would politely nod, brush it off, and never take offense on camera. Yet these interviews reveal a man crippled with anxiety, haunted by the fear that he was traveling the same road to an early death as his father.
That’s the power of Hanks’s framing—through interviews with Candy’s grown children, his widow, and his friends, it becomes a heartbreaking portrait of the human condition. In particular, it highlights his capacity for love, such as when Macaulay Culkin recalls Candy stepping in after witnessing the younger actor’s father’s behavior on Uncle Buck. His insecurities, hope, and joy, all channeled through humor, reflect a man searching for a connection to fill a void he could never quite satisfy.
The final cut, John Candy: I Like Me, is a funny, moving, and enlightening portrait of the cost of fame, of living up to the preconceived notions and labels imposed by others. So the next time you watch Del tell Neal his hand is between two pillows, see Barf the Mog proudly declare he’s his own best friend, or hear the cop trying to buy his fellow officers an “orange whip,” appreciate the man who lived to make others laugh while leading a life of kindness—though it came at a cost.
You can stream John Candy: I Like Me exclusively on Prime Video now!
