Essentially, it's the stars' keenly observed nuances of character that make this comedy amiable enough.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:42
Fresh:40
Rotten:2
Average Rating:7.8/10
Theatrical Release:00-00-0000
Synopsis: All Neal Page (Steve Martin) wants to do is make it home from a business trip in New York City and spend Thanksgiving with his family in Chicago. Instead, he finds himself rerouted from New York's... All Neal Page (Steve Martin) wants to do is make it home from a business trip in New York City and spend Thanksgiving with his family in Chicago. Instead, he finds himself rerouted from New York's La Guardia Airport to Wichita, Kansas. With no other options, Neal decides to share a room in a fleabag hotel with Del Griffith (John Candy), a shower-curtain-ring salesman and fellow stranded traveler. Although Neal finds Del to be a buffoon, he just can't seem to get away from him. To make matters worse, all their efforts to get back to Chicago fail as trains break down and rental cars catch on fire. Along the way they encounter crazy cabbies, redneck truck drivers, and oversexed bus passengers. John Hughes's (SIXTEEN CANDLES, THE BREAKFAST CLUB) first film to feature adults after his success with teen films features fine performances from Martin and Candy. Kevin Bacon, who appeared in Hughes's next film, SHE'S HAVING A BABY, makes a small but humorous appearance, as does Edie McClurg, known for her role as the high school secretary in FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF. [More]
Starring: Steve Martin, John Candy, Kevin Bacon, Michael McKean
Starring: Steve Martin, John Candy, Kevin Bacon, Michael McKean, William Windom
Director: John Hughes
Director: John Hughes
Reviews for Planes, Trains and Automobiles
What distinguishes this film from others in the genre is the undercurrent of melancholy between the laughs.
It is, of course, always a pleasure to watch Martin's steam-gauge face register his rising internal pressures and to witness his exquisitely expressed blowoffs. But Candy offers even more insinuating delights.
Producer-director-writer Hughes infuses his film with an appealing sense of sentiment and humanity -- not to mention many hilarious scenes.
Man versus technology has been one of the staples of screen comedy since the earliest silent days, and Hughes makes the most of the format here packing as many of the frustrations of modern life as he can into this calamitous travelog of roadside America.
This slapstick comedy -- with Steve Martin playing the fussy straight man -- should never have worked, but it does, and well enough to earn a place as a holiday classic.
There's plenty of big laughs in this odd-couple comedy, but the main characters are also given a number of human moments, which leads to an ending that's downright poignant.
What’s amazing, especially after repeated viewings, is that both actors are playing such extremes, yet you’re never annoyed by them.
Will resonate with anyone who has been frustrated by the inconveniences of travel.
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