A new documentary, “Johnโ Candy: I Like โme,” offers an intimate look at the life and career โof the beloved comedian, revealingโ a man who balanced a public persona of hilarity with private vulnerability. The โfilm, featuring interviews with Candy’sโ siblings, Chris and Gail Candy-Sullivan, explores โฃthe actor’sโค dedication โto his craft and the complexities of his โpersonality.
The documentary arrives as โa new generation discovers Candy’s work and existingโ fans revisit his iconic โroles. It aims to present a “realโ andโ honest” portrayal โofโค the star, moving beyond the comedicโข image to โคshowcase the thoughtful andโ often self-deprecating man behind the laughter. For the Candy family, the film is a catharticโ experiance, allowing them to share โคmemories andโ reflect on a legacy that continues โฃtoโ resonate decadesโ after his death.
Candy-Sullivan recalled a childhood memory of John โcandy displaying pictures โฃfromโ “stripes” โคin thier basement inโ Canada, including the infamous stripe-painting scene. She pondered howโค he could simultaneously be embarrassed by reliving โthe moment and proud enough โคof โฃthe film to showcase it prominently.”It’sโ that kindโค of weird conundrum,” she said.Following johnโข Candy’s death, his siblings โขfound it tough to watch his films, particularly posthumous releases like “Canadianโข Bacon”โฃ and “Wagons East.” โคCandy-Sullivan admittedโข she “couldn’t โgetโ myself to watch” “Wagons โขEast” for years, asโ it required โcompletion after hisโฃ passing. “But as timeโค went on,โ his roles where โso โขstrong and the loveโ was felt soโค much in those characters that โwhen you watch them, it was cathartic. โIt felt really nice to see him back, walking and talking.”
chris Candyโ considers “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” his father’s “masterclass of comedy.” His sister, Candy-Sullivan, often wavers in her โfavorite choice, though currently favors “Summer Rental” for it’s depiction of “the frustration and the loveโ and the absurdity” of family โvacations, โฃand “the way that he talks to his kids and interacts with people and fights for justice.” โขShe added, “I likeโ watching that movieโ because I see a lot of him in it.” While acknowledging her father’s dramaticโฃ turn in “JFK” (“he’s so different”), she finds “Summer Rental” particularlyโฃ revealing of his character.