John Candy was an icon when I was growing up. There wasn’t a film he was in that I didn’t love. He’s also a man who had a lot of troubles and he was taken from us far too quickly.

So, when I had a chance to see the new documentary John Candy: I Like Me, at a special screening, I bought my $100 ticket and drove 3 hours to see it. Don’t worry, you don’t have to pay that kind of money to watch it. It’s coming out on Amazon Prime this month. So, did the documentary measure up to the man himself?

You can read the review below or watch the video review on YouTube:

It’s produced by Ryan Reynolds, directed by Colin Hanks, and it feels very much like a heartfelt tribute to one of the most beloved actors of his generation. What makes this film stand out isn’t just the big names you’ll see in it—though there are plenty, including Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Macaulay Culkin, and Catherine O’Hara. What really makes it shine is how personal it is. The memories come not only from John’s colleagues but also from his family, including his wife, his children, and the people who knew him best.

The film weaves those stories with clips from his most iconic roles and pieces of John Candy’s own commentary pulled from interviews and articles. The result is a portrait of someone who wasn’t just funny on screen but who carried his pain, his joy, and his sense of compassion into the characters he played.

Film Highlights

One of the first things the film drives home is how much John Candy’s early life shaped him. His father passed away when he was just 35 years old and John was still a little child. That loss left a lasting mark. The absence of his father created a sense of fragility in John as well as a deep awareness that time is short, and that you have to make the most of the moments you get. From his own words in interviews, you can tell he lived with that awareness. He seemed to know he wouldn’t have as much time as most people, and that urgency pushed him to embrace life fully.

That’s part of why he connected so deeply with people. He was someone who could recognize pain in others because he had lived with it himself. And when he played characters who were lonely, struggling, or quietly hurting, he wasn’t just acting. He was drawing from something real.

The film also does a strong job of showing that John Candy was universally loved. Bill Murray even remarks at one point that most biographies work because you can tell both the good and the bad about a person, but with John there really wasn’t anything bad to say. That could have made the film feel one-sided, but it doesn’t. Instead, the honesty of everyone’s reflections makes it feel grounded and true. You believe it when they say John was as good a man off screen as he was on.

The Heart of John Candy’s Acting

What really struck me was how much John put himself into every character. Almost every film he did has moments of honesty where he drops the smile, lets the guard down, and you see something deeper—something fragile and real.

Probably the best example is Planes, Trains and Automobiles with Steve Martin. The most iconic scene in that film isn’t the comedy or the slapstick; it’s the moment when Steve Martin’s character unloads his frustration in a long, brutal rant at John Candy’s character. The camera stays close on John’s face, and you watch as all that real pain he was holding down bubbles up. It feels less like acting and more like John responding as himself. That scene works because he was willing to let the truth of his own experience show through.

You see that same kind of honesty in so many of his roles whether it’s Uncle Buck opposite Macaulay Culkin, Stripes, or even small moments when he’s just talking about his weight. He had a way of finding something real in the dialogue, pulling from his past, and letting it come through the character. That’s the mark of a great actor: when they can take their own pain, their own humanity, and let the audience feel it.

And I’ll be honest—watching this film reminded me how rare that kind of acting is today. Modern films so often trade those emotionally rich moments for quick jokes, action beats, or slapstick. Seeing John Candy work reminded me of what acting can be when someone is brave enough to bare themselves on screen.

SCTV and the Media’s Obsession with Weight

Another major focus of the documentary is John’s time on SCTV, the Canadian sketch show that launched so many careers. It was there that he had the freedom to experiment, to stretch himself, and to evolve from the shy, introverted kid he was into the larger-than-life performer people remember.

But alongside those successes, the film doesn’t shy away from showing some of the tougher parts of John’s career. One of the saddest recurring themes is how often interviewers asked about his weight. Instead of focusing on his talent or the film he was promoting, the questions would circle back to his body. You can literally see the light go out in his eyes in those clips. It wasn’t just uncomfortable—it was demeaning.

Watching those interviews, I couldn’t help thinking about Ryan Reynolds producing this documentary, and even about Blake Lively, his wife, who’s faced her own intrusive questions in interviews. Whether it’s a baby bump or body size, those kinds of questions take away from the artistry and turn something personal into public fodder. For John, who was already carrying his own insecurities, that must have been exhausting. The film makes you feel that weight—no pun intended—and it adds another layer of appreciation for what he brought to his work despite how he was treated.

Recommendations

So, is John Candy: I Like Me worth it? For me, yes. Absolutely. Was it worth the ticket price and the trip for the live event? Again, yes. Not just because of the film itself, but because being in that room with people who loved John Candy and hearing Ryan Reynolds talk about him was something special.

That said, I also think the streaming release on Prime will be just as valuable for most people. The documentary itself is heartfelt, intimate, and full of insights into John’s life and work. If you love John Candy, if you’re interested in film and theater history, or if you just want to see what made him so beloved, this is a must-watch.

Younger audiences who may not know him well should definitely give it a try too. His films hold up. He was a common man in uncommon situations, doing the best he could, and in the process he became iconic.

Comment & Subscribe

So what about you? What are your favorite John Candy films? Was it Uncle Buck, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Cool Runnings, or maybe his work on SCTV? Which characters stuck with you?

If you enjoyed this review, please give it a like and subscribe for more. You can also visit my YouTube channel at @ErinUnderwood for more videos.

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If you’d like to watch JOHN CANDY: I LIKE ME on Amazon Prime, you can use my Amazon Associate link:

• John Candy: I Like Me (Documentary) on Amazon Prime – https://amzn.to/4nRQA8G