When I first saw the John Candy: I Like Me trailer, I knew this documentary about one of the funniest and warmest actors of all time would hit me in the feels. I wasn’t wrong, as the 2025 movie wrecked me emotionally, so much so that I had to pause it with about 15 minutes left and build up the strength to finish it with my Amazon subscription.
Don’t get me wrong, this is an amazing, star-studded exploration of not only the late actor’s career but also his character and how he continues to impact the lives of family, friends, and fans 31 years after his passing. It’s just that I knew what was coming on the other side, and my heart couldn’t take it… for a number of reasons.
First Of All, John Candy: I Like Me Is One Of The Most Moving Documentaries I’ve Seen All Year
Directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds (among others), John Candy: I Like Me is honestly one of the most moving documentaries I’ve seen all year. Not only is it a wonderful retrospective of his career and best movie roles, but it’s also a tremendously profound exploration of the man behind iconic characters like Buck Russell, Gus Polinski, and Del Griffin.
Made up of interviews with those who knew him best, including Candy’s wife and two children, home videos, and clips from his various film and TV projects, I Like Me is a celebration of life, art, and a man who truly made the world a better place. The documentary isn’t anything revolutionary or mold-breaking, but when it comes to paying tribute to someone’s craft, joy, and warmth, this is in a league of its own.
But I Pressed Pause Right Before His Death, And It Took A While To Proceed
I made it about an hour and a half into John Candy: I Like Me before I decided to press pause. Not because I didn’t like the documentary (I loved it), but because I knew what was about to happen as soon as Wagons East was mentioned. Knowing that Candy died of a heart attack while filming the 1994 movie in Durango, Mexico, I had a feeling the documentary was about to go in a direction I wasn’t ready to handle. So, I panicked, hit pause, and took some time.
I eventually went back and finished the final 15 minutes, and I’m glad I did. What followed was a touching tribute to the man, the myth, the legend that was John Candy. From Catherine O’Hara talking about seeing him in a dream to Macaulay Culkin explaining his grief, to his family saying that it’s okay to be sad, it was all indescribably powerful. Yes, I cried, but I also laughed at some of the remaining stories and reflected on how much Candy’s movies had impacted my life, both as a child and an adult.
All in all, I’m glad I went back and finished the story with John Candy: I Like Me. Sure, it made me incredibly emotional, led me to shed a few tears, and bummed me out a bit, but I’m honestly better for it.