Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

7/10

Starring

Steve Martin

John Candy

Directed by John Hughes

The late John Hughes was popular for having an eye for comedy, and this is one of his very good ones. It had enough funny moments to stick in your mind even after you’re done watching the movie. The mismatched pair was a bowl of laughs for someone like me who had only heard about the movie and never seen it.

Each time the two parted, I didn’t have to wait long before strange, unfortunate events brought them back together. And when they were together, it didn’t take long before strange things started happening that made you feel sorry for both of them—because they were never meant to share the same space, whether in a room or any form of transport.

The movie pushed the boundaries of human tolerance when it came to its characters. While watching, you won’t be able to side with one or the other, as each one deserved to have the life choked out of them.

The movie was written, produced, and directed by John Hughes. It was made way back in 1987, and although it’s not about the Christmas season, it’s about the holidays—Thanksgiving, to be exact.

Hughes’ success in comedy in the ’80s with classics like Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) made him a name to watch. This movie, unlike Home Alone, which was made in the ’90s, isn’t for young viewers because of the language used. But if you, like me, haven’t seen this movie before now, you should.

The movie starts with the introduction of one of our lead characters, Neal (Steve Martin), and his plan to travel home for the holidays to be with his family. His journey never started well from the get-go. He struggled to get a taxi to the airport, and when he finally did, his flight was delayed. When he finally got on a flight, he was seated next to the person who stole his taxi—Del Griffith (John Candy).

The plane ride was already difficult, but they had to land due to bad weather. Now stuck far from home and unable to get a room in a motel, Neal had to bunk with Del.

Their unusual partnership started there, leading to a train ride and a car ride from hell. Many times, they pissed each other off and had to part ways, only to be brought back together again as they both needed each other to get home.

A good movie to see again—as I plan to in the future.