The Great Outdoors -- 1988 -- PG

Ok, got me a goofy summer vacation movie with John Candy and Dan Ackroyd. Like any good comedy, sometimes the jokes worked, and sometimes they didn't, but you could tell they made a good effort. On the whole, though, it wasn't a bad film, just a fun little flick to kick back and relax to.

So dad wants to take his wife and kids out to the lake...to the very same house where his dad took him and where he and the wife honeymooned as well. The house isn't what it used to be, and its upkeep is more than questionable, but it is livable for the duration of their vacation...or it would have been had the in-laws not shown up and busted in on their vacation. Now it's all about making the vacation work on a smile-and-nod basis between the brothers-in-law.

The film is more about the chemistry between the guys and the antics that ensue than about any kind of plot which remains loosely based around the vacation. John and Dan play off each other admirably in most scenes, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a fair amount of improv between them. It is this that makes the film fun to watch.

We did have our fair share of painful moments though...you know, those things tht could have been better lived without? The most painfully obvious was the subplot between the teen lovers. Boy meets girl in town and they have a short-lived fling. This fling did not tie into the vacation plot at all with the rest of the family, and in a lot of places, the scenes felt like they were written in after the filming was complete just to give the boy something to do. They maintain continuity with these scenes by the skin of their teeth, and in the final tearful "I'm going home" moment, the continuity is practically blown since it was stuck between the boy taking his bag to the car and everyone leaving. Every one of these scenes could be excised and the movie would lose nothing and even be a bit better.

The climax of the main plot was completely silly, but appropriate. You get your fair share of groans and laughs and leave ultimately satisfied with the way it all ends up. It's not a piece of contemplative art, but it's a lot fo fun to watch, and as long as you acknowledge it for that, it'll be enjoyable.