I’m not sure what shocked me more while watching this documentary: the reminder that comedian John Candy was only 43 when he died, or that it’s been over 30 years since the world lost him. Even as a Canadian boy, born and raised in Toronto, the grim reminder of those facts hit me harder than I expected. However, watching the documentary John Candy: I Like Me proved to be a cathartic experience. It allowed the emotions to flow as I watched the celebration of a man who touched so many lives through humor and joy, always making people feel like they were important.
That was the blessing and the curse of being John Candy. From his SCTV days, right through to his successful film career, Candy was the ultimate people pleaser, and it took its toll. His dad passed away from a heart attack at 35, and his brother had a heart attack around the same age. This sparked the flames of fear and anxiety about his health and weight that would never leave him. In fact, during the documentary, his friend and former SCTV cast member recalls him saying, “I don’t know if I’m going to make it past 35.” As it turned out, he did, but still left us far too soon.
The documentary, which features actor/friend Bill Murray kicking things off, is filled with praise and tributes from friends and family. They talk about how the man was full of life. He brought that into every room he was in, whether a movie set or backyard barbecue. He was a great husband and a wonderful dad, who felt a tremendous amount of guilt when he had to leave his family to go on a film shoot.
John Candy: I Like Me director Colin Hanks deftly combines archival family footage with interviews from those who knew and loved him. He also makes it clear early on that this is a celebration of a man who loved his country, and Canadians loved him back. It was a love affair that would not stop until his passing in 1994.
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Lurking throughout the glowing praise, however, were the warning signs. While others noticed and worried, Candy himself denied for the longest time, and understandably so. When you are a people pleaser, you do not want to disappoint anyone at any time. Candy is often seen drinking, smoking, eating, and having a great time. It’s not depicted as a train wreck, but as a man who would use those vices, especially food, to bury and suppress his feelings.
That said, he took control of his weight once and talked about losing seventy pounds. However, he was warned not to lose much more, or else movies would stop casting him. This fed into the ever-present fear and anxiety of failing, letting people down, and not knowing how to get off that train.
Those were Candy’s own personal demons, but from the love bestowed on him during the documentary, you can understand why he was not your regular poster child of a famous person with issues. Martin Short, Tom Hanks, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, Steve Martin, Catherine O’Hara, and others lined up to talk about John Candy. They do not shy away from the personal difficulties he struggled with but acknowledge them. They ensure fans realize that, perhaps to a fault, the man never changed, never kept giving, and was always welcome wherever he went.
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His filmography, while littered with some clunkers, was full of moments with great characters. Stripes, Splash, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, and Spaceballs were some of the highlights (special mention to his character in National Lampoon’s Vacation). But as a person, they all talked about how wonderful it was having Candy on set, working with him, elevating the mood, and just being around. It seems the man’s cup of joy was never empty, and he was always glad to share.
John Candy: I Like Me features some great footage with the late John Hughes, with whom Candy worked many times. He discusses their collaborations and how he was such an important and trusted voice that Hughes could lean on.
While most of the film was uplifting and joyous, there is no escaping his passing, and the last part of the film explored just that. The impact Candy had on so many was registered in the tears they fought back as they discussed his death. Director Hanks handled this well, letting them explore those emotions and the personal moments they had when they heard the news.
Catherine O’Hara’s eulogy at Candy’s funeral was beautiful and heartbreaking. Still, I think the best line was left to Eugene Levy, who, while discussing the funeral procession, which saw the temporary closing of California’s Interstate 405, said, “You know you’ve made it when they’re closing freeways for you.”
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John Candy: I Like Me was part documentary, part love letter to a man that, honestly, everyone seemed to love. Sure, they could have dug deeper into his movie choices or spent more time with other people in his personal life, but that wasn’t the point. It goes without saying that his two kids and wife miss him dearly, but to see how he is still missed and loved to this day by everyone whose life he touched, even if only for a short time, was astounding. He was many things to many people, but in the end, John Candy was simply grand.
John Candy: I Like Me had its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on September 4. The film will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video starting October 10.
