IMDb plot summary: A Chicago man and his family go camping with his obnoxious brother-in-law.
Directed by Howard Deutch. Starring Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, and Stephanie Faracy.
The Great Outdoors is a John Hughes-written film starring John Candy and Dan Aykroyd as two brothers-in-law on vacation in a remote cabin along with their families. Candy just wants to enjoy some quiet unplugged family time, while Aykroyd is constantly competing to get the biggest, shiniest thing for their trip. The John Hughes filmography ride has been kind of a bumpy one, but this one is definitely a hit. It's clearly a big broad comedy but allows for some very touching human connection moments, and the relationship between Candy and Aykroyd manages to hit the right emotional beats while also being amusing. It's a little surprising to me that this doesn't get as much love as some of Hughes' other written work -- maybe it's because he didn't direct it himself. It's not a masterpiece, but I think it's significantly better than, say, Sixteen Candles or Pretty and Pink. (Although, of course, this one doesn't have a protagonist for teens to relate to.) Definitely a worthwhile watch!
How it entered my Flickchart:
The Great Outdoors > Love Exposure
The Great Outdoors < Kuroneko
The Great Outdoors > The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain
The Great Outdoors < Memories of Murder
The Great Outdoors > Air
The Great Outdoors > Carefree
The Great Outdoors < Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
The Great Outdoors > The Emperor Waltz
The Great Outdoors > The French Dispatch
The Great Outdoors < Up in the Air
The Great Outdoors < The Shoes of the Fisherman
The Great Outdoors < Rack, Shack & Benny
Final spot: #1270 out of 3945, or 68%.
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