Canadian actor John Candy was known as a funnyman throughout his career and spent most of his pretty long time at the top, making audiences laugh. While his sad demise at the early age of 43 took a real shining light away from us, Candy left the world the gift of his many movies, many of which are absolute classics, and all of which would be nowhere near as good if someone else had taken his role. Here’s our list of the 10 best John Candy movies.
Uncle Buck
Candy led the production of this excellent movie. As the eponymous character, he is left in charge of his brother’s kids during a family emergency, only for numerous hijinks to ensue. Macaulay Culkin and Jean Louisa Kelly starred alongside him in a brilliant cast, including Laurie Metcalf.
Cool Runnings
Cool Runnings is an absolute classic, and a big part of that is Candy’s role as the acerbic Irv Blitzer, a disgraced Olympian who tries to help a group of Jamaican sprinters win big as Bobsledders in the Winter Olympics. This Disney film is loosely based on a real story, but it’s not just an inspiring and heartwarming tale of overcoming the odds and friendship but a laugh fest, too.
Only the Lonely
Although there were many comedic elements in this movie, it was more of a romantic drama than anything else, marking a change in genre for Candy as an actor. He stars as Danny Muldoon, a Chicago cop who still lives with his controlling mother but begins to wrestle his freedom from her grip as he falls in love with a local woman named Theresa (Ally Sheedy). Sweet in the right parts and with just enough laughs to make the sadder parts of the film fly by, this is Candy showing off his range and doing a fine job of it.
Planes, Trains and Autombiles
Although Candy was already a big name before landing this role, there’s no doubt that Planes, Trains, and Automobiles launched him into a higher stratosphere of fame than he’d previously lived in. The movie follows Neal (Steve Martin), an uptight businessman who is desperate to make it home for Thanksgiving, only for a series of accidents and issues to make it so that he has to travel across the country with salesman Del (Candy), leading to plenty of hilarious mishaps. Candy was made for this role, and he absolutely kills it.
Splash
Fantasy romcoms can be hit and miss, but the 1984 classic Splash is widely (and rightfully) considered a masterful example of the genre. Tom Hanks stars as Allen, a man who unwittingly falls in love with a mermaid. Candy plays Freddie, Allen’s womanizing older brother who ends up being enough of a secret romantic that he’s willing to go to jail so his little sibling can be with the woman (creature?) that he loves, and is perfect in the role, bringing his usual bluster and comedy.
Spaceballs
Hollywood and comedy legend Mel Brooks hardly misses, and his space opera parody Spaceballs is yet another win for the famous funnyman, with the film rightfully considered a classic. Candy plays Barf, the sidekick to Bill Pullman’s Lone Starr, who is very much not Luke Skywalker. The slightly ridiculous and convoluted plot allows Candy and his fellow actors to let their comedic chops shine, and as a result, the film is a laugh-a-minute, if not more.
Brewster’s Millions
Candy stars alongside Richard Pryor in this brilliantly funny film about a failing baseball player who comes into a fortune with a hitch, to receive it, he needs to spend at least $30 million in 30 days but has to follow a set of complicated rules and can’t tell anybody about it. Pryor is the titular Brewster, and Candy plays Spike, his loyal best friend, and is one of the funniest parts of the film.
Stripes
Army comedies can miss the target, but this 1981 laughathon is a great watch, buoyed by Candy’s performance. The story follows John Winger (Bill Murray), a newly single cab driver who enlists in the army with his pal Russell (Harold Ramis). The pair soon find themselves at the head of a group of misfits, and they begin a campaign of pranks and hijinks, only for things to get serious when they accidentally commandeer a military assault vehicle and take it behind enemy lines. Candy plays Ox, one of Winger’s crew members.
The Great Outdoors
While The Great Outdoors isn’t the best film Candy has ever appeared in, he is a bright spot in an otherwise messy and only occasionally funny movie. He plays the role of Chet, a father whose long-awaited outdoor vacation is ruined by the appearance of his wife’s sister and brother-in-law. There are some great slapstick moments here, but other than that, Candy’s performance of The Great Outdoors leaves a lot to be desired.
The Blues Brothers
Candy only had a brief cameo in this entertaining cult classic but stole the show in his scenes as parole officer Burton Mercer. The Blues Brothers follows two brothers as they seek to save their childhood orphanage from being razed to the ground by reuniting their old band for one last gig in the hopes of raising enough money to stop the demolition. It is guaranteed to bring laughs.
