The Great Outdoors
1988 Directed by Howard Deutch
Synopsis
The wildlife is wild, but his brother-in-law in unbearable.
Suburbanite Chet Ripley takes his family to a lakeside resort for what he thinks will be a quiet vacation away from it all. But then his snobby brother-in-law Roman Craig shows up with his snooty brood, and unexpected mishaps ensue. The two families try to get along … but they didn't count on Mother Nature stepping in to add her two cents.
Cast
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I had seen THE GREAT OUTDOORS quite a few times as a kid, back when it was new I suppose, and remembered a number of details; but I would be hard-pressed to tell you if it was a good movie or not. Seeing it Sunday as part of a psychoeducational group for work, I was somewhat surprised and disappointed to find out that it actually kind of sucks. Researching it later, I was even more surprised to discover that critics seemed to call it out as such at the time. Leonard Maltin gives it *1/2 in his 2002 movie guide and Siskel & Ebert totally demolished it on their show, citing it as a low-point for stars Ackroyd and Candy and…
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Only way to end the summer.
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John candy, Need i say anymore then that.
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Watching “The Great Outdoors” again is a wonderful trip down memory lane. I used to watch this movie over and over again as a kid. Written and produced (directed by Howard Deutch) by the legendary John Hughes, this movie still holds up as a great comedy experience. Released in 1988 this movie didn’t get much love but over the years it became a great little cult film. Dan Aykroyd and John Candy are both at the top of their games and both look like they’re enjoying the hell out of themselves here. All of the little comedy moments are here in full epicness. From the Eat my Wake boat, to the bat attack, to the bears and raccoons, to the…
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Will watch it a hundred times. Sue me. It's tradition.
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One of those films I used to watch every week on VHS in the school holidays. The Great Outdoors is still a good laugh, mainly thanks to Ackroyd and Candy' larger than life characters.
Recent reviews
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I had seen THE GREAT OUTDOORS quite a few times as a kid, back when it was new I suppose, and remembered a number of details; but I would be hard-pressed to tell you if it was a good movie or not. Seeing it Sunday as part of a psychoeducational group for work, I was somewhat surprised and disappointed to find out that it actually kind of sucks. Researching it later, I was even more surprised to discover that critics seemed to call it out as such at the time. Leonard Maltin gives it *1/2 in his 2002 movie guide and Siskel & Ebert totally demolished it on their show, citing it as a low-point for stars Ackroyd and Candy and…
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It's not hard to see why this film didn't get as warm a reception as others from John Hughes' pen. It's essentially a "random events" plot set in the woods, moving from one joke to the next with little narrative depth. Some scenes seem out of place or tacked on, such as the teen romance subplot. But the gags are funny, and the main characters are likeable and relatable. It may not be one of the best Hughes films, but it's still pretty good. Read full review.
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Watching “The Great Outdoors” again is a wonderful trip down memory lane. I used to watch this movie over and over again as a kid. Written and produced (directed by Howard Deutch) by the legendary John Hughes, this movie still holds up as a great comedy experience. Released in 1988 this movie didn’t get much love but over the years it became a great little cult film. Dan Aykroyd and John Candy are both at the top of their games and both look like they’re enjoying the hell out of themselves here. All of the little comedy moments are here in full epicness. From the Eat my Wake boat, to the bat attack, to the bears and raccoons, to the…
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I'm no great admirer or longtime fan of John Hughes, having not seen a single one of his films until my late teens. I can see what the appeal to his films was to people in the 80's/early 90's, but they don't get by solely on that Hughes magic for me.
There are exactly 2 reasons why The Great Outdoors worked at all for me: John Candy and Dan Akroyd. Once upon a time their personalities were enough to make just about any movie watchable. Without those two, I'm not sure I'd have enjoyed this film at all. It's running time is a concise 90 minutes and there is no filler. That would normally sound like a good thing, but…
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Will watch it a hundred times. Sue me. It's tradition.
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This review reportedly contains spoilers. I can handle the truth.
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Dull and slightly entertaining.
It would have been much better if Dan Aykroyd and John Candy swapped characters.
John Candy plays a lot of annoying characters, something Dan Aykroyd cannot do. -
One of those films I used to watch every week on VHS in the school holidays. The Great Outdoors is still a good laugh, mainly thanks to Ackroyd and Candy' larger than life characters.
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Good as a family comedy, to watch during a large family gathering. None of it is too innapropriate, it has strong family themes, it has lots of physical humor that doesn't require paying much attention, and it's just cheesy enough for the older folks.
That being said, it's not perfect for much else. The script is weak, and it features some of the worst child actors I've ever seen (I'm looking at you, twins).