This doc is the real article. What you see is what you get.
John Candy has made a name for himself in the comedy world with “SCTV,” “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles,” “Home Alone,” 1941,” “Uncle Buck,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” and “Stripes,” among others. Fans of his work all know that he died of a heart attack at the age of 43 when he was filming the bad western comedy “Wagons East.” And we know one of his dramatic roles was in Oliver Stone’s “JFK” with that famous scene between him and Kevin Costner.
The new made-for-Amazon Prime Video doc “John Candy: I Like Me” focuses on the comedian, who had a loving and comical personality, but also strong vulnerabilities that affected his health and emotions. This is a movie for people who loved his work, and I’m one of those people.
Growing up without a father, John’s son Christopher Candy is trying to figure out the pieces of his father’s life. And his daughter Jennifer acknowledges the kindness and humor he has brought to people.
In the early days, we see him failing as a hockey player and Vietnam War vet, both of which were because of his knee injury. And then, he manages to thrive through the power of acting and comedy.
He also was worried about his life expectancy, because his father died of a heart attack in his 30s. And when comedian John Belushi died of a cocaine overdose, the stress and sadness came back to him. He always carried the weight of his past, which resorted to alcoholism and overeating. And apparently, the movie industry wanted him fat, because of the image he had in comedies.
We also hear from his collaborators like Dan Aykroyd, Martin Short, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Tom Hanks, Mel Brooks, Macaulay Culkin, Catherine O’Hara, and Dave Thomas. And they also share their passions for the comedy legend.
The moment of sadness in this doc that struck me was when Aykroyd was driving and heard the news of Candy’s death. He pulls into someone’s lawn and has a pool of memories coming at him. It’s impossible for me to imagine what he and many people went through, because I was a baby at the time. But that doesn’t mean I can’t share their pain, because he was a comedy genius with a lot to offer.
There would be a time, of course, when Candy hit career lows with bombs like “Nothing But Trouble” or “Wagons East.” Even Don Lake from that western bomb admitted it was devoid of any humor, and conditions were bad in Durango. This is when we acknowledge a difference between favors and smart casting choices. Some of the bombs Candy did were out of nepotism, while the best ones were out of commitment.
Not everything is fully examined, but there are enough details and acknowledgement for “John Candy: I Like Me” to contain, and it’s often funny and heartbreaking. And director Colin Hanks knows who to interview and how to remind people of Candy’s legacy.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video Tomorrow