Canadian funnymanJohn Candyis beloved by many for his comedic roles in everything fromPlanes, Trains, and AutomobilestoHome AloneandSpaceballs. Such a larger-than-life figure has long been deserving of a proper documentary exploring his life and career up to his tragic death at the age of 43. EnterRyan ReynoldsandColin Hanks, who, in 2022, officiallyjoined forces to produce that filmand honor the legacy of one of their heroes. Now, in less than a month,John Candy: I Like Meis fittingly set to open theToronto International Film Festivalin the city where he grew up before the emotional feature comes home on Prime Video. Ahead of the world premiere, we’re excited to include the passion project as part ofCollider’s Exclusive Previewevent for upcoming movies and share a few words from Hanks to set the stage.
The documentary takes a never-before-seen look into the existence of Candy, both on-camera and beyond. Between home videos, candid stories, and intimate conversations with his family and others who knew him closely or worked with him, it’s meant to be a complete portrait of who the man behind the laughter was and how he brought joy to their lives, in addition to the audiences that watched him. This story spans throughout the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, as he becameone of Hollywood’s brightest starsuntil suffering a massive heart attack on the set ofWagons Eastthat would cut his life tragically short. As Reynolds has teased, expect to laugh and cry throughout the journey from Candy’s most lighthearted moments to his struggles with personal demons and the pressures of stardom as he tried to be a good husband, father, son, and friend to those around him. More than anything else, as the title explains, this film is the story of a manwho was unapologetically himself.
Having previously helmed the music documentaryAll Things Must Pass, Hanks was tapped to directJohn Candy: I Like Mewhile Reynolds served in a production role through his Maximum Effort banner. For both, the project hit close to home as longtime fans of theUncle Buckstar, though the former had a more personal connection to the actor. Thanks to his father,Tom Hanks, and stepmother,Rita Wilson, who previously worked with Candy onSplashandVolunteers, Hanks grew up knowing the man and who he was off-screen. When asked by Collider’sMaggie Lovittabout how that experience colored his approach going into the film, he shared how his time with Candy stuck with him from a young age and inspired him to show that the star was just as warm and relatable to others as he appeared on-screen:
“While I was a rather young kid, I still have very vivid memories of my times with John. Which I think is a testament to his ability to connect with everyone, regardless of how old they were. I wanted to show people that John really was everything they hoped John Candy to be like.”
Colin Hanks Wanted ‘John Candy: I Like Me’ to Be a “Celebration” of the Icon
In addition to Reynolds,Sean Stuart, Glen Zipper, George Dewey, Johnny Pariseau, andShane Reidwere all on board as producers. The team madeI Like Mewith the full support of Candy’s family, who were vital in providing never-before-heard insights into the actor’s life. Showing the unvarnished truth was key for the documentary because Candy’s troubles were so relatable andonly added to his “everyman” air. That meant reconciling the tragic realities of his life and death, like his anxiety and struggles with alcohol, with his penchant for making people smile and laugh. Throughout the production, balancing both sides was a challenge for the team, but one that was necessary to truly celebrate who he was down to his core. In many ways, Hanks wanted torecreate the feelings of Candy’s movieswith the documentary:
“Well, we knew there were certain components to John’s story that were tragic and sad. We also knew that ultimately the film needed to be a celebration of the man. I hope people walk away from the filmfeeling as if they just watched one of John Candy‘s movies for the first time. Having felt a little sadness, a little joy, a whole lot of hope, and some laughs.”
John Candy: I Like Mewill have its world premiere at TIFF on September 4 before it arrives on Prime Video on October 10. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on the documentary and more exclusive pieces from ourpreviewweek.
