Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Great Film overall

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

PTAA is undoubtedly a Holiday Classic in every sense of the phrase. Maybe not as wonderful as "It's a WOnderful Life", but Steve Martin and John Candy really make the most out of this. Of course, this is a Thanksgiving movie and not a Christmas movie, but like the two Holidays, they kind of go hand-in-hand.Written by the late, great John Hughes, PTAA isn't necessarily AS well-written or dialog-driven as his other work, but the film does take full advantage of the physical comedy of Martin and the sincerity and heart of Candy. It IS still well-written, don't get me wrong, just not as great as some other Hughes works in this aspect.It's a road-trip movie. The film jumps from transportation medium to transportation medium, in order of the title.Throughout the film, the two men find a better understanding of the Holiday Season and all that comes with it. Martin is shown/reminded what IS the most important part of his life, and given in Candy, everything that he takes for granted. There are many classic moments in the film. The Braidwood Inn provides 3 or 4 of them. Martin's "F-Bomb" rampage later in the film is another high-point.The film isn't perfect. I know no film is, but PTAA, imo, fails to capitalize on the ending by cutting it short. Just a little more family interaction at the end would have gone a long way. Maybe even some more/explained help for Del. We assume that this is what happened, but the serious emotion of the film takes place in a very small window, and is subsequently a tad understated. Just a little dialog like "Del's gonna stay a while", or a short sitting at the Thanksgiving table would have been a nice addition to the film.Steve Martin really shows his range in this film.I highly recommend Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, and not just during the holiday season. Soft-8 for me. On the Hughes Hierarchy it's a touch better than say Uncle Buck, but not the masterpiece of a Sixteen Candles or Breakfast Club.

I don't know how to describe the love I have for this movie. It's a rare film that I think we could collectively as a society call a 'perfect comedy' It doesn't matter what your age is, you will be on the floor literally laughing until your stomach hurts.John Candy was one of the great treasures of the past and him paired with Steve Martin is just too perfect for words. It's a film I revisit every year and I sincerely recommend you do the same.

As the holidays approach, I always look forward to catching this one. I laugh, I cry, I miss John Candy more. I've been a huge fan of traveling since 1/2 a year old when I went to Germany for the first time. Over the years travel has become a pain in the tuchus but the journey is always worth it. Maybe that's why I did P,T+A so much. One delay after another. Cancellations due to inclement conditions and broken down modes of transport. Steve Martin and John Candy light up the screen with their love/hate relationship. I always crack up with the shot of the melted car wrecked car. "No, but the radio still works, ha ha".Partake in your own tradition and give this flick an annual watching come turkey day.

Neal Page (played by Steve Martin) is in New York on a business trip and is flying back to his family in Chicago that night. It is two days to Thanks Giving and he wants to be at home with his family on it. Just getting to the airport is an ordeal, as the cabs are busy. His flight is then delayed. When his flight eventually takes off it is rerouted to Wichita, Kansas, due to Chicago being snowed in. By now Page is teamed up with Del Griffith (John Candy), an obnoxious salesman. Page detests Giffith but the man has his uses, especially knowledge of hotels and transport. Now the adventure to get back to Chicago begins.Fun movie from writer-director John Hughes. One rollicking adventure from start to finish. However, not quite as funny as I was expecting - the humour is more about the predicaments the two characters end up in, rather than anything else, and these get predicable and lame after a while.Great, emotional ending though.