Summer Rental (B- or 2.5/4 stars)
In the vein of the National Lampoon flicks, 'Summer Rental' is a minor family vacation comedy from 1985 that is directed by Carl Reiner, & stars the always funny John Candy. Most critics thought this film was juvenile trash ... and I can see why {it contains a pretty inert screenplay that relies on gross-out humor to keep the proceedings moving at a good clip}. But for me, having seen it as a kid, I thought it was quite genial & elicited quite a few laughs from me. Candy stars as Jack Chester, the super stressed-out, overworked air traffic controller who is taken on a sunny Florida beach vacay by his loving wife, Sandy (Karen Austin), along with his kids, Jennifer, Bobby, & Laurie (Kerri Green, Joseph Lawrence & Aubrey Jane), & even the pet dog.
The family rents a nice little beach cottage, but the needed restful vacation turns into a living nightmare when accident-prone Jack runs his rental boat into the yacht of snobbish Capt. Al (Richard Crenna, making for an enjoyable antagonist), a local champion racing yachtsman. Soon enough, the livid captain inherits the beach house when the former landlord suddenly passes away and, thusly, he kicks-out the woebegone Chesters. In direct response, Jack challenges Capt. Al in the annual summer regatta race; a race Al has won for the last 9 years running. The stipulation: if Jack somehow wins, he can stay an extra 2 weeks -- rent free. But if Jack loses to Capt. Al, he must pay the rent & get outta town. Hijinks & shenanigans ensue as Jack tries desperately to regain his pride & win-back his family's respect.
This movie is mercifully only 87 minutes long. Not MUCH works in the film from the standpoint of a great script, but it didn't really matter, for me. The film, for all its warts, remains highly watchable for its entire run time, with a smattering of entertaining segments & performances from a cast that looks like they're having a good 'ole time. John Candy is a delight - as ever - as the hard-pressed Jack. The movie's plentitude of comedic set pieces that are often too silly in concept, but Candy makes them work. As just one example, I loved him falling asleep in the sun, only to emerge from his spot some time later looking as red as a lobster.
And by the 3rd act, the silliness {belching, farting, vomiting} subsides to make way for Jack's efforts in besting his prickly opposition in the regatta race. Sure, it all ends on a relatively anti-climactic note, but again, at 87 minutes, I was happy to have just luxuriated in the comedic bits, laughed at Candy, laughed at Rip Torn {who plays Jack's ally, a pirate restaurant owner who teaches him the ways of sailing}, ooh-ed & ah-ed at Florida & the gorgeous yachts {with barnacles, and all} & moved on with my day, ha. 'Summer Rental' is the epitome of an easy-to-swallow romp whose highly questionable quality simply does not matter in the eye of the beholder.
The family rents a nice little beach cottage, but the needed restful vacation turns into a living nightmare when accident-prone Jack runs his rental boat into the yacht of snobbish Capt. Al (Richard Crenna, making for an enjoyable antagonist), a local champion racing yachtsman. Soon enough, the livid captain inherits the beach house when the former landlord suddenly passes away and, thusly, he kicks-out the woebegone Chesters. In direct response, Jack challenges Capt. Al in the annual summer regatta race; a race Al has won for the last 9 years running. The stipulation: if Jack somehow wins, he can stay an extra 2 weeks -- rent free. But if Jack loses to Capt. Al, he must pay the rent & get outta town. Hijinks & shenanigans ensue as Jack tries desperately to regain his pride & win-back his family's respect.
This movie is mercifully only 87 minutes long. Not MUCH works in the film from the standpoint of a great script, but it didn't really matter, for me. The film, for all its warts, remains highly watchable for its entire run time, with a smattering of entertaining segments & performances from a cast that looks like they're having a good 'ole time. John Candy is a delight - as ever - as the hard-pressed Jack. The movie's plentitude of comedic set pieces that are often too silly in concept, but Candy makes them work. As just one example, I loved him falling asleep in the sun, only to emerge from his spot some time later looking as red as a lobster.
And by the 3rd act, the silliness {belching, farting, vomiting} subsides to make way for Jack's efforts in besting his prickly opposition in the regatta race. Sure, it all ends on a relatively anti-climactic note, but again, at 87 minutes, I was happy to have just luxuriated in the comedic bits, laughed at Candy, laughed at Rip Torn {who plays Jack's ally, a pirate restaurant owner who teaches him the ways of sailing}, ooh-ed & ah-ed at Florida & the gorgeous yachts {with barnacles, and all} & moved on with my day, ha. 'Summer Rental' is the epitome of an easy-to-swallow romp whose highly questionable quality simply does not matter in the eye of the beholder.