SUMMER RENTAL

US, 1985, 83 minutes, Colour.
John Candy, Richard Crenna, Rip Torn, John Larroquette.
Directed by Carl Reiner.

Summer Rental is a pleasant pastime, an enjoyable piece of Americana. It is a star vehicle for the large comedian John Candy who appeared with Tom Hanks in Splash and Volunteers. It was directed by comedian director Carl Reiner, director or such entertainments as The One and Only, Oh, God, the Steve Martin vehicles Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, The Man With Two Brains, All of Me. It is a comedy about being busy, having holidays, ordinary people enjoying themselves and the clash with snobs.

1. A good-natured family entertainment?

2. Florida, the film as a piece of Americana, summer on the beaches, holiday styles, sailing? Special effects - especially for the sailing? The musical score, songs?

3. The basic situation, family pressures, the job and Jack's pressure. his seeing danger instead of flies on the radar screen? The kids and their reaction to the rat-race? His wife? Cars on the freeway, work and mistakes, the need for a holiday?

4. The departure and the sense of pressure, accidents, squabbles? The drive? The build-up? The arrival, finding the house, Jack and his sunburn, the lifeguards and the daughter, trying to get a meal, the line-up and the lobsters, their leaving the restaurant after the quarrel, finding The Barnacle? The irony of their being in the wrong house and their being turned out? Being on the water and hitting the Incisor? The set-up with the clash? The predictability of the plot - but enjoyable nonetheless?

5. Jack as a character, John Candy's presence, comic style? work, family, the holiday? His edginess, slobby style and the jokes about being fat? His arrival, the joy, the dog, fears of the water, the sunburn? Pellet and the clash about the lobster, their being ousted, the crowd passing by, the accident and his leg, the rain, television etc.? Vicky coming in from next door and the comedy about her silicone breasts? The crowd coming into the house? Scully and his friendship, sailing, talking, learning? Pellet and the clash? Defiance? The enterprise of the family helping to recondition the boat, the reconciliation, the race and the win?

6. Jack's wife, home, holiday, support, the participation in fixing the boat? The kids - cute and typical? The boyfriends?

7. Pellet and his nastiness, snobbery, meanness, rank, his boat being hit, revenge, pettiness, the final race and his comeuppance?

8. Scully and his restaurant, his cheapskate methods, pirate style, the crew and their motley garb? Friendship with Jack, training him, the challenge, repairing the boat, winning? The pirate style?

9. The rebuilding of the boat and the enterprise uniting the whole family?

10. The summer people, the snobs, the crowds - and the send-up?

11. The comic styles, slapstick comedy, the humorous patter?

12. An entertaining blend of American sentiment and humour?