Why There's Little to Like in 'John Candy: I Like Me'

Here's another hero worship documentary. It's not that John Candy isn't deserving of his posthumous flowers. He was a good man who wanted to bring joy to others. That's beautiful, but it doesn't make for much of an extraordinary story. John Candy: I like Me is a nostalgia grab doc that's heavily reliant on member berries over something more substantive. The film does document Candy's tortured soul, but he was such a good guy that there's not much to tell. It's another one of those flicks where a bunch of famous people from an older era get together to talk about how great their friend was, who also was in a lot of pain, then died at a young age.

If you've seen the documentaries on Chris Farley, Robin Williams, or John Belushi, then you've seen this one. The only exception is that John Candy wasn't a drug addict. He was a food addict whose love for high cholesterol did him over. One interesting aspect of the film that deserved more attention is when John Candy's widow informs director Colin Hanks that John was losing weight. However, the industry wanted him to be fat. So he fell back on food, giving them what they wanted. As Bill Murray and Macaulay Culkin point out, John did a lot of favors in a business where doing favors will kill you.

You end up extending yourself so much to please others that the requests for help never stop coming, pulling you in endless directions. Unfortunately, the documentary didn't dive deeper into how the industry exploited John's status and physique, likely because it is a Hollywood production, which may limit the movie's ability to be entirely honest.

There's a certain gloss to the picture that feels artificial. With everyone now capable of editing movies on their computers, it's difficult for a filmmaker's work to stand out. Colin Hanks makes a movie that anyone could have made with his level of access. Insert some famous faces, clips from John's filmography, some inspirational music, and you've got yourself a hero doc. What is this movie saying that no other films about someone's life are trying to inform? Sadly, the answer is nothing, which causes a bit of disconnect. It's a standard, birth-to-death, highlight reel doc with very little meat on the bones, other than the fifth pizza John smashed down his throat.

It's inspiring to see a movie about a man who displays compassion during today's tense political climate, where kindness has been replaced by apathy. Candy was an example of how society should behave. Still, it doesn't make up for a weak narrative. If this film had been released during a calmer time in America, would it have received the same acclaim for its themes of empathy? Probably not.

If you're unfamiliar with John Candy, it's unlikely this movie will spark your curiosity. Candy had a premonition that he'd die young like his father did. Sadly, he was right. To give the film credit, it cuts right to the chase. John's funeral is at the forefront of the narrative, and then returns at the end. If only the movie had more depth, it would be worth seeing. There's a limitation to biopics. Unless the subject was deeply troubled, did terrible things, or had dark secrets, then there isn't much to keep the audience hooked.

John Candy was a likable guy who emerged from Second City TV (the original sketch show to play opposite SNL, like Mad TV in the 90s). He was one of the lucky pioneers during the 80s-90s comedy era. Audiences adored Candy, as did filmmakers.

For a movie that is an hour and fifty-five minutes, it's an overkill message of the sad clown. Everyone has their personal battles that others can't comprehend. However, it is the scale of that battle and its impact on the subject's life choices that make for an interesting story. Unless this flick was like Won't You Be My Neighbor? where Fred Rogers went out of his way to find a light to shine on society amidst the despair of darkness, John Candy's legacy is substandard in comparison. It's only worth seeing this flick if you want to tickle that nostalgia bone, reminiscing on one of your favorite comedic actors. Otherwise, there are better documentaries you can watch on Prime.

John Candy: I Like Me is streaming on Prime now.