John Candy plays Jack Chester, a burnout air traffic controller in 1985's "Summer Rental," where he takes his family to the beaches of St. Petersburg for some r & r. While the family has fun, they also clash with a champion yachtsman (Richard Crenna) and settle their differences in a sailboat race.Candy's always good as a comedic every-man and Karen Austin and Kerri Green shine as female eye candy (so you get the best of both worlds – older babe and younger babe, lol). The first half features the expected beach vacation antics while the second half focuses on the yacht race. Rip Torn plays the pirate-like companion that helps Chester compete. The film delivers just enough amusement for this kind of flick to give a marginal "thumbs up." The film runs 87 minutes and was shot in the St. Petersburg area with the opening scenes in Atlanta.GRADE: B-

This is the sort of movie that plays with more impact in a theater than on TV or DVD. On the small screen, not only do you miss interacting with a sympathetic audience, but the timing and the editing seem not quite right. Oddly, the movie's screenplay construction which relies heavily on one-off episodes would seem ideal for television, but this is not the case. The climactic yacht race does not come across with the impact a live audience would give it. Instead, the editing often seems mistimed and fails to build as effectively as it should to the anticipated climax. In fact, it cuts out just at the point where it should start to get really exciting. Instead of building to a climax, the race almost fades away. It seems as if director Carl Reiner was telling us: "Well, you all know what's going to happen so it's no use making a big thing of it. We've got one joke to pull, and that should do it!" John Candy gets the director's rapt attention at all times. So does Rip Torn. But Richard Crenna's role is not built up sufficiently (although he has his moments). In fact, aside from Rip Torn (and briefly, Miss "Are they real?"), director Reiner always seems to be aiming his camera squarely at Candy at the expense of almost everyone else in the vast cast,

John Candy stands alone as one of our true comic geniuses. I was so saddened when he passed away so young. He left the world a truly sadder place. We were all robbed of a priceless national treasure. This man was a true comic giant, but he was also a fine actor. He made you CARE about the characters that he played. John reminded me of Charlie Chaplain in so many ways. Chaplain could make an audience laugh and cry without using one single word. John Candy did that in Planes Trains And Automobiles and it was one of the finest acting jobs that I have ever seen in a movie. Lee Strassburg would have been so proud. Its in the scene where Steve Martin bawls him out in a motel room, he tells him basically what a pain in the ass he is. There is a hurt look on John's face that I will never forget as long as I live. He made you FEEL the hurt and the pain in his heart. John Candy lost his father at an early age and was haunted by that death all of his life. I guess it is true that some of our greatest comics have tears in their hearts. In Summer Rental John gives what I would consider one of his "typical" performances. He is a loving family man who just decides to get away from it all. Richard Crenna and Rip Torn are both wonderful character actors and both give Candy able support. I can tell that everyone who made this film had a ball doing it. It sure comes through in the finished product. Carl Reiner is a true giant of comedy and I am so glad that he directed this film. He and Candy worked so well that it is a shame that they never made another film together. This is one of those films that doesn't carry an important social message, the idea is that you should just leave your brain and social conscience at the door of the cinema and just relax and have a good time watching a true comic giant at work. I truly believe in my heart that John was one of God's gifts who was put here to make us laugh. Considering the current state of our world and the current state of "comedy", almost 10 years after his untimely death, I think we need John Candy now more then ever before.

This is a classic John Candy movie in My opinion.Richard Crenna and Rip Torn are also in it!I don't want to spoil it but here is just a sample of what's funny in this movie!The eggs in the car,the woman that got breast surgery,the restaurant scenes with Crenna and Candy,all of the beach scenes,and last but not least the heavy set belching smurf watching man!This is a good John Candy movie that I recommend!