Movie Review - John Candy: I Like Me

Director: Colin Hanks
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: John Candy, Bill Murray, Tom Hanks, Dan Aykroyd, Steve Martin, Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Martin Short
 
Description: Explores the life and legacy of the iconic funnyman John Candy, who died of a heart attack in 1994, at the age of 43.
 
Review: If you grew up in the 80s and 90s, like me, you probably also grew up with John Candy movies. The funnyman who starred in movies like “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”, “Uncle Buck” “Splash” and “Home Alone” was a big part of my childhood. And for anyone like me, the documentary “John Candy: I Like Me” is a must-see.

The title refers to a quote from his character Del Griffith, in “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”, where he tells Steve Martin that he likes who he is, after Martin just completely trashed him. If you have no idea who Candy was, this documentary gives you some insight into his life and career. But it will not have the emotional load. For me, this was a very heartwarming, moving tribute to the comedian. His family, friends and colleagues praise Candy with warm and honest stories about him. Candy was such a loving man and he touched the lives of everyone he met. And of the people who watch his movies.

Like I stated before, we watched a lot of John Candy films during my childhood years, and still. “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is an absolute favorite in my family and we still revisit it every holiday season. If you grew watching him, this documentary will definitely get you emotional.

Rating: 5/ 5