The comedic actor John Candy is the subject of a 2025 documentary from director Colin Hanks. John Candy: I Like Me premiered as the opening film at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 4 to strong reviews. [As of October 9, it has a 83% positive rating on aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.] It made its streaming debut on October 10 on Amazon Prime. The beloved actor, born in Ontario, Canada, in 1950, died on March 4, 1994, at age 43. Watch the trailer below.
Actor Ryan Reynolds, who is one of the film’s producers, hosted a nationwide tour this fall celebrating the life and legacy of Candy with special event screenings. Following each screening, Reynolds was joined on stage by members of Candy’s family and close friends for a live, moderated conversation reflecting on the beloved comedian’s artistry, generosity, and cultural impact. See the dates below.
From the title’s listing at TIFF: Among the most beloved comedic actors in film and television, John Candy was one of a kind. This inspiring documentary from director Colin Hanks celebrates Candy’s life and work through archival materials and heartfelt testimonies from those who worked with and knew him.
John Candy: I Like Me begins and ends with eulogies, one from his The Great Outdoors co-star Dan Aykroyd, the other from Candy’s SCTV castmate and fellow Toronto actor, Catherine O’Hara. Between these touching tributes are candid interviews with such fellow stars as Bill Murray, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, and Macaulay Culkin, who recalls how kind Candy was to him as a child actor during production on Uncle Buck. The film features clips from Candy’s body of work, from the characters he created for SCTV to his roles in such feature films as Splash, Spaceballs, Home Alone, and Planes, Trains and Automobiles — the John Hughes film from which I Like Me takes its title.
Hanks’ portrait pays tribute to its subject as a thespian, improvisor, and creator, taking care to highlight the tenderness and depth found in quieter performances. Through insight from Candy’s family members, I Like Me also draws attention to fatphobia and anxiety disorder, issues that shadowed Candy throughout his life.
Related: Our spotlight feature on Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Colin Hanks is an actor and filmmaker. His father, Tom Hanks, co-starred with Candy in 1984’s Splash. The son directed the documentaries All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records (2015) and Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (2017). He has appeared in films including King Kong (2005) and Parkland (2013), and television series including Mad Men, Dexter, and Fargo.
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1 Comment so far
Jump into a conversationCandy was a great actor and personality I am looking forward to watching this documentary on him thanks for sharing