John Candy: I Like Me

"Love is not a big enough word."

2025 1h 53m EN

🙌

7.8

BANGER

★7.8TMDB · 121

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Those who knew iconic funnyman John Candy best share his story, in their own words, through never-before-seen archival footage, imagery, and interviews.

“Love is not a big enough word.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

John Candy
Self (archive footage)
Tom Hanks
Self - Actor, Splash
Steve Martin
Self - Actor, 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles'
Martin Short
Self - Actor, SCTV
Eugene Levy
Self - Actor, SCTV
Macaulay Culkin
Self - Actor, Uncle Buck
Bill Murray
Self - Mainstage Cast, The Second City
Catherine O'Hara
Self - Actor, SCTV

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Colin Hanks
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released last year.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Colin Hanks, shot by Justin Kane. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Tyler Strickland. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Shane Reid shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

John Candy and Tom Hanks and Steve Martin carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Love is not a big enough word.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt26683420 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Colin Hanks directs. Justin Kane behind the camera. Tyler Strickland scores. Shane Reid cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released last year.
2Directed by Colin Hanks, shot by Justin Kane. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Tyler Strickland. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Shane Reid shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5John Candy and Tom Hanks and Steve Martin carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Love is not a big enough word.".
7IMDB entry: tt26683420 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Justin Kane
Original score: Tyler Strickland
Editing: Shane Reid
Makeup / hair: Melissa Beck
Sound: Gary Rizzo
Runtime: 113 min · 1h 53m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: John Candy: I Like Me (2025)

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Colin Hanks

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Community reviews

What people are saying

tender_buttkiss2025-11-12
★ 9/10
I watched this over the weekend, and it was equal parts laugh out loud funny and gut wrenchingly sad. For me, John Candy was a HUGE part of my childhood having started in so many great movies that I still watch fondly all these years later, so naturally I jumped at the opportunity to watch this film. Right from the start you have the legendary Bill Murray setting the tone as he asks the director wether or not they want him to say 'nice things' about John, heavily implying that he's got some dirt on him. And one after another we get some great interviews by so many top tier comedic actors both digging in to the late great John Candy but also giving us some insight into who he was. By the end of the film I couldn't help but tear up after seeing the out pouring of love to honour him after he passed so suddenly. This movie will mdke you fall even more in lovd with this great Canadian icon!
Brent Marchant2026-02-19
★ 7/10
Paying tribute to a talented, beloved entertainer is undoubtedly a noble gesture, especially for someone widely regarded as a kind, gentle soul in an industry all too often known for its self-absorbed personalities and who, sadly, passed on while still in the prime of life. Such is the sincere intent behind this third documentary feature from director Colin Hanks, a warm, respectful homage to the late John Candy (1950-1994). The Canadian-born actor-comedian made quite a name for himself in the ʼ70s, ʼ80s and ʼ90s, first as a member of Toronto’s Second City comedy troupe, then as a regular on the edgy sketch comedy TV show SCTV and then as a colorful character actor in more than 30 films. But, as this release shows, Candy was more than just a well-known funnyman. He was also a writer, director, producer and businessman, as well as a devoted husband and father. This reputation made him widely regarded as one of the nicest people in show business, a man with a big heart who made it a practice to take care of others, no matter what their needs might be. These are the qualities that come through loud and clear in the film in the many interviews with those who knew and worked with him, including television colleagues Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas, Martin Short and Robin Duke, as well as his comedy and big screen peers Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Macaulay Culkin, Tom Hanks, Mel Brooks, Don Lake and Chris Columbus, among others. They’re also apparent in the ample archive footage featuring conversations with Candy, backed by insights from his wife Rose, his children Chris and Jennifer, and an array of childhood friends and industry colleagues. And the picture’s numerous clips from his TV and movie work serve as welcome reminders of just how gifted he was as a performer, a thoroughly enjoyable trip down Memory Lane. However, in telling his story, the film has a tendency to become somewhat repetitive, depicting its subject with so much boundless reverence that it almost seems timid in telling a deeper and more complete story. In its defense, “I Like Me” doesn’t portray its protagonist with a whitewashed Pollyanna narrative, as evidenced by references to issues with his weight, ghosts from his past and unexpressed fears of not measuring up no matter how hard he tried, attributes that contributed to turning him into something of a people pleaser who had trouble turning down others while not always taking care of himself. But the overarching kid gloves approach employed here can be likened to the filmmaker walking on eggshells at times. Certain aspects of Candy’s story receive noticeable short shrift, such as his impressive dramatic turn in a cameo appearance in director Oliver Stone’s “JFK” (1991), a role that may well have provided moviegoers with an all-too-brief glimpse of greater acting abilities that never had a chance to further develop (a few clips from this release are included in the documentary but never really discussed). That kind of depth, regrettably, is lacking here and would have made for a better, fuller profile instead of repeatedly being told the same things over and over again. It’s a shame that this gentle giant of a man and gifted entertainer left us as young as he did, and it’s a safe bet that many of us probably would have liked to have known him and his range of capabilities better. However, when it comes to this biography, it often feels like we’re only getting part of the story, leaving us wanting for more that, unfortunately, we’ll never have the chance to savor and enjoy.