I don’t want to believe John Candy is dead. I fantasize that he faked his passing, and lives happily on some island in the South Pacific, selling shower curtain rings and punching out intoxicated birthday clowns.
After initially rising to fame on the Canadian sketch show SCTV, Candy achieved further notoriety for his supporting parts in movies like Stripes, 1941, and Splash. His first starring role was in the Carl Reiner directed comedy, Summer Rental. Candy plays a burnt-out air traffic controller who takes his family on vacation to a beachfront rental house in Florida. But his attempts at unwinding are constantly thwarted by a series of vacation-related disasters. While Summer Rental was not a critical success, it did well at the box office, finishing at number two behind Back to the Future. The film has a devoted fan following, particularly among Candy-philes.
Hilarious performances help elevate a stock premise. Rip Torn plays a local restaurant owner who talks and behaves like a salty pirate. You wouldn’t naturally think of Richard Crenna, best known as Col. Trautman in the first three Rambo movies, as a comedic presence. But he’s absolutely superb as the conceited, egomaniacal town local who wants to evict Candy and his family from the rental house.
And of course there’s Candy, who was always terrific. An actor whose innate lovability permeated all his performances and characters. Also featuring Carmine Caridi, Karen Austin, John Larroquette (his part seems severely trimmed), Kerri Green, and a young Joey Lawrence. Summer Rental is an easy-going, relaxed time, meant to be enjoyed with your friends and family, like a great day at the beach.
As of this posting, Summer Rental is available for FREE on Pluto TV.
-T.Z.
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