The Great Outdoors
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.78 You Save: $9.16 (71%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.29 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Canada
Movie Reviews of The Great Outdoors
Movie Review: Great Movie
Summary: 5 Stars
If you like John Candy then you will love this movie - a true Candy Classic.Movie Review: A great movie
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the best comedies ever!!! You can't go wrong with this one.Movie Review: Cheesy, not always that funny, but very, very likable.
Summary: 4 Stars
"The Great Outdoors" is one of those movies that you love to sit down with your family and watch over and over again, the type of movie that isn't necessarily a great film, but is lifted out of mediocrity by a terrific cast and lively joy surrounding it that is undeniably there. There isn't really anything that makes it worth watching, other than the funny comic cast that lends it a certain familiarity. It's not an underrated great comedy like "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," but rather an underrated mediocre comedy, one that you can watch over and over, almost as a tradition, and never get tired of, but furthermore, never fully understand its charm.The film stars John Candy as Chet, a down-to-earth kinda guy who wants to give his family (a wife and two sons) a great vacation in the great outdoors, away from civilization and modern conveniences. Chet's family does not necessarily appreciate what he is doing for them but rather the thought, and so they go along with the oblivious Chet out into the middle of nowhere, staying in a log cabin infested by who-knows-what.
Chet is happy all the way up until they arrive at their cabin, because upon arrival they are greeted by Chet's glob of a brother, Roman (Dan Aykroyd), who shows up unannounced with his snobby wife (Annette Bening) and strange little twin girls (who serve to be a damper on the film, as they are almost so creepy it hurts the movie.)
Chet bites his tongue and watches Roman squirm his way into the cabin. As in most films like these, Chet seems to be the only one who notices how annoying Roman is. Remember "What About Bob," when Dr. Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss) seemed to be the only one who resented an oddball patient named Bob (Bill Murray)? It's a bit like this with Chet and Roman. Chet's family doesn't seem to mind Roman, but Chet does. And in resenting Roman, Chet realizes he is being selfish, so he subconsciously, unknowingly pretends his family is bothered by Roman, which justifies him hating Roman and wanting him to leave. I bet you never thought I'd start reviewing this on a psychological level, eh? I guess you got more than you bargained for.
The script was written by John Hughes, who directed my favorite comedy of all time, "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" (1987), which also starred Candy. Hughes and Candy had a long-time collaboration - Hughes was even writing another script for Candy when John passed away in 1994. But what can be said about Hughes is that he tends to create real characters in realistic situations, with a clear sense of focus on what he wants to get across. It is only in recent years his scripts have been becoming more and more muddled ("Home Alone 3," "101 Dalmations"), and this may very well be because the times have passed on, yet John Hughes is still, in a way, living in the 80s, the decade that made him one of the most successful filmmakers within a short period of time. (His films such as "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "The Breakfast Club" are icons of the eighties, and still have adamant fans to this day.)
A film like "The Great Outdoors" is mediocre at best, and I don't think anyone will say otherwise. Sure, there are a few funny scenes like when Chet goes on an accidental waterskiing trip, or when Chet and Roman try to rid their house of a bat, only to enter into the cabin wearing a crazy assortment of items. These are the type of cheap comical gags that would sink a normal film, but watching John Candy and Dan Aykroyd go through the motions is something more. Especially Candy, God rest his soul, who could and continues to always make me laugh.
I think that there's a certain charm about "The Great Outdoors," one that invites the viewer, lets the viewer know what they're in for, but entertains the viewer during the course of the film. The first time I saw "The Great Outdoors" I shrugged it off as another typical 80s film - which it is, in a way - but I found myself watching it every time it appeared on television since. I even tape recorded it last year and have since watched many of the funny parts over and over. This is an excrutiatingly mediocre comedy, one that goes through all the motions, but at the same time has a strange, undeniable charm about it that entices the viewer. It may not be a great comedy, "technically," but I guarantee it will be one that you'll come back to every once and a while, just for familiarity's sake.
Movie Review: A play-it-safe kind of comedy
Summary: 4 Stars
You pretty much know that any film featuring both John Candy and Dan Aykroyd is going to generate some laughs, making The Great Outdoors a pretty safe bet for anyone in the mood for a little comedy - and comedy is basically all you should expect here (any film that supplies subtitles for raccoon conversations isn't really trying to express anything meaningful), despite the fact that John Hughes wrote the script. For once, Hughes' involvement does more harm than good. While The Great Outdoors is certainly a good movie, it's not a very good John Hughes movie. Of course, it's hard to follow 80s classics like The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink, but Hughes' heart just didn't seem to be in this one. This is best demonstrated by the teenaged romance part of the story, which stumbles from the start and really goes nowhere at all. When you come right down to it, there just isn't any real depth to any of the characters in this film - and that's just not something you expect to get from John Hughes.
All Chet Ripley (John Candy) wanted was a nice family vacation in the country, a week to relax with his wife and bond with his two boys, especially the older one (frankly, I'm not really sure why the younger son was even in the movie). What he got was a "surprise" in the form of his brother-in-law Roman Craig (Dan Aykroyd) and his rather strange family (with Annette Bening playing Mrs. Craig) turning up out of the blue to vacation right along with him. You can't just tell family to get out, though, even if that family includes an arrogant, rich, know-it-all like Roman. Chet does his best to grin and bear it, but you know it's just a matter of time before he loses it. When the inevitable does happen, it triggers a series of important events that re-draw some of the main characters, even giving Roman a heretofore unsuspected (albeit rather narrow) depth. Despite this, and a strangely insignificant summer romance between Buck (Chris Young) and a local girl (Lucy Deakins), The Great Outdoors really just plays for laughs and nothing else. Some of the more memorable scenes include Chet's wild water ski ride and, of course, the battle pitting Chet and Roman against a bat. You'll definitely laugh at several different moments, but the film never really elevates itself to the side-splitting plateau of comic genius. In many ways, this was a pretty safe comedy - it doesn't break any new ground, but it's a really comfortable fit. That would be okay for many a filmmaker, but The Great Outdoors just doesn't live up to John Hughes' usually higher standards.
Movie Review: "Ya Know What Hotdogs Are Made Out Of Dont'cha, Chet?"
Summary: 4 Stars
John Candy as the big hearted family man, Chet Ripley and his sweet wife Connie played by Stephanie Faracy venture to Winconsin's big woods on the lake with their two boys for their yearly nice, relaxing, family vacation. Things are going well for the Ripley's until...
Chet's obnoxious, wheeler dealer, snake of a brother-in-law, Roman Craig, played by Dan Aykroyd and his snooty and icy wife Kate, played by Annette Bening (in her screen debut) show up quite unannounced to spend some family time with the Ripleys. Also in tow are Roman and Kate's two red headed creepy twin daughters Kara and Mara. These twin girls have nothing on the twin girls from the movie, "The Shining" except these creepy little girls are ALIVE!
However the Craig Family appearance at the Ripley cabin door is QUITE uninvited! That makes no nevermind to Roman, who spoils most of the family fun that Chet has planned for him and his sons.
When Chet is grilling hamburgers and hotdogs outside, Roman goes and buys lobsters to grill and spoils Chet's family meal. When Chet wants to rent a pontoon boat to fish with his boys, Uncle Roman instead rents a jetboat with a great water ski scene ensuing!
One of the best scenes in the movie is when the whole clan goes out to eat at a steakhouse and Chet puts down "the ol' 96'er". A 96 oz. steak (gristle, fat and all!!)so that the rest of the family can get their meals for free!
There is a nice romance budding between Chet's oldest boy Buck and another vacationer, Cammie (a young Lucy Deakins), several hilarious scenes with wildlife such as bats, raccoons and a bald headed bear of Calaveras County and a even a birthday party for a dead guy!
The Great Outdoors is a great family movie to be enjoyed by all!
Happy Watching!