SincereFinest
disgusting, overrated, pointless
Inadvands
Boring, over-political, tech fuzed mess
Melanie Bouvet
The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.
witster18
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.
EBJ
'PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES' - 1987Directed by John HughesStarring Steve Martin AND John CandyPlot Overview: Desperate to get home for Thanksgiving, Neal Page(Steve Martin) enlists the help of a friend he met at an airport, Del Griffith(John Candy) to transport him home, using whatever means necessary!American or not, I can understand the appeal for this movie. It's fun, it's quirky, it's got a simple structure and it's got two lovable characters. I didn't know what to expect from this movie but I will say it pleasantly surprised me. It's fun, it's warm and it's uplifting, and what more can you want from a holiday movie? Even if I don't celebrate that holiday.The story for this movie is deceptively simple. On the surface it's just a two guys trying to get home but if you look closer, it's a story of friendship, and acceptance and responsibility. The surface level simplicity of this movie is part of why it is so effective. I love the way Hughes handles the fear that every single human alive has about being sat next to someone they cannot stand on some form of transport. The poetic way of handling that and making you look on the bright side of it is genuinely incredible. And then there is the ending. I won't spoil what happens but needless to say I really enjoyed it. The film's primary strength is easily the performances and chemistry from our two leads: Steve Martin and John Candy. Both men are powerhouses in the fields of comedy and both men do fantastic jobs in each of their respective roles. Neal Page(Steve Martin)'s character arc was 100% authentic and I really liked it. We see his character evolve over the course of the movie and I really liked it. Del(John Candy) doesn't really have an arc perse but I still really liked his character and thought he was a fun addition to the cast.If I was to same one main flaw with the movie, it'd be the rough middle. Not gonna lie, I was bored for a fair amount of this movie, primarily the middle portion. Not that it was aggressively bad, it just didn't entertain me in the slightest and I was honestly willing for it to come to an end.Aside from this one but pretty daunting flaw, I definitely had fun with this movie and I do recommend that you see it. It's got some good jokes, a deceptively good story and some really fun characters. It won't enlighten you but it will certainly entertain you and warm you up. I'll rate Planes, Trains and Autombiles 7 '******* CARS!' out of 10!
LeonLouisRicci
A Relief from the "Raunchy Comedy" Explosion that Permeated the Genre and Developed a Huge Fan-Base and Endless Entries during the Era, this Extremely Popular Movie Entertains with a Fast Pace and Two Endearing Talents, Steve Martin and John Candy.The Film is a Smooth Road Trip Adventure with the Adjective "Heartwarming" Attached Routinely from Fans and Critics.It is a Funny, Non-Threatening, Piece of Fluff that has an Easy Time Entering the Consciousness of the Audience and makes it a Congenial Ride-Along and Rewards with its Uncomplicated Scenario and Sharply Defined, if Elementary, Personas of the Characters.The Humor Results from the Dialog, mostly, and the Visuals are more Slow-Burn Expressionistic than Slapstick. The Director takes His Time setting up the Situations and then uses Martin and Candy to Punctuate the Proceedings with Their Individualistic Charm.Routinely Stopping the Film for Tugs at the Heart, with a Tear-Jerk of an Ending, the Movie Finds a Nice Tone that Separates it from the Routine. Highly Enjoyable Family Fun where All Ages can Find a Handle of Humor for Their Liking.Overrated, but Undeniably Infectious. The Underselling and Restraint Works Wonders for this Fan Favorite and it seems that only Nit-Pickers can Find Fault
grantss
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.
