It’s both a privilege and a curse to get paid to watch Netflix for a living. The pros are obvious — I get to watch a lot of movies and get a decent wage for doing so. But the cons are there, too, and the major downside to this job is that I have to endure lots of bad films.
Every once and a while, though, I discover a hidden gem from the past that wipes away the memories of all the stinkers on Netflix. The Great Outdoors is a comedy that was a hit when it was released in 1988, but doesn’t have the lasting legacy that similar movies of the time, like Coming to America with Eddie Murphy and Big with Tom Hanks, have had. But it’s just as funny as those classics, and it’s my pick for the one movie you should stream on Netflix this weekend.
It’s the Perfect Summer Movie
The Great Outdoors follows the Ripley family as they escape Chicago to spend their summer vacation at their lakeside cabin in woodsy Wisconsin. Dad Chet (John Candy) is dismayed to discover that his brother-in-law, Roman Craig (Dan Aykroyd), and his family have decided to join them without advance warning. Now, the two families will have to find a way to live together without getting on each other’s nerves — or worse.
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That’s the basic set-up to the movie, and it’s a solid foundation for a comedic clash between the working-class Ripleys and the upper-class Craigs. It also lets you live vicariously through the families as they get to experience a summer vacation you may not be able to enjoy. I have no plans to spend my idle time near a lake, so it’s particularly pleasing to watch the characters water ski in the lake, go camping in the woods and chill out in their spacious cabin.
Movies are a great way to travel far without leaving your room, and The Great Outdoors features enough evocative scenery to make you feel you’re spending your summer vacation at Bass Lake, where the comedy was filmed. It’s escapist fare, and it gives you exactly what the title promises: beautiful scenes of the great outdoors.
It Features 2 Comedy Legends at Their Very Best
In 1988, some of the biggest comedy stars included Eddie Murphy, Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Yes, you read that last name right — ‘88 was the year of Twins.) Aykroyd and Candy were big during this time, too, with hits like Uncle Buck, Dragnet, My Stepmother Is an Alien and more. Their team-up in The Great Outdoors was a big deal, and they make a great comedic duo because of how different their styles of humor are.
Aykroyd plays Roman as a pompous blowhard who likes to show off his wealth to needle Chet. Candy plays Chet as an everyman who is cursed with being too nice to really say what he’s feeling. Their two characters can barely stand one another, which is why the movie constantly places them in the same situations. It’s a recipe for comedy gold and it pays off throughout the movie.
This is especially true during the sequence when a bat invades the cabin, and it’s up to the two scared dads to get it out. Roman wants to be aggressive and kill it, while Chet prefers to be cautious and just wait until the bat leaves on its own. Roman convinces Chet to attack it, but the bat gets the upper hand and clings to Chet’s face. Sensing an opportunity, Roman doesn’t hesitate to hit the bat — and Chet’s face — with a tennis racquet.
The problem’s solved — the bat is dead — but Chet suffers for it, and we can’t help but laugh at his misery. Candy always suffers in his comedies — remember his Wallyworld torture in National Lampoon’s Vacation? — but his characters are always relatable and have a certain dignity to them. Conversely, Aykroyd makes the most of Roman’s smugness without totally sacrificing the audience’s sympathy. He likes to show off his wealth, but it’s revealed later on that there’s a good reason for that.
Chet and Roman are an odd couple in the classic sense, but they work well together, even if one of them usually suffers because of it. The same holds true for Candy and Aykroyd, and it’s a shame the two didn’t star in more movies together before Candy’s untimely passing in 1994.
They Don’t Make Comedies Like This Anymore
You don’t have to be a movie expert to know that big-screen comedies are a rare breed nowadays. It’s all about franchises and action movies at the multiplex and comedies like Home Alone and this one are often relegated to streaming. Seen today, The Great Outdoors is a rare breed — it’s a big-budget comedy that’s perfect for the entire family.
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That doesn’t mean it’s as innocuous as a Disney film — there’s a bawdy story about a bear’s ass that culminates in one of the movie’s best jokes near the end. There’s also a blue joke about a washing machine and how it helps one of the mothers achieve an orgasm that is my favorite comedic bit in the movie.
The Great Outdoors works as a movie for everyone; it’s immature enough for the kids and smart enough for the grown-ups. It’s the perfect movie to start your summer with, and a great way to spend time with two comedy movie icons at the top of their game.
The Great Outdoors is streaming on Netflix.
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