The Great Outdoors

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Paul B @chandlerpjb1005 Aug 27, 2026 If you are from the Midwest and familiar with the Northwoods of Wisconsin this movie is a 10/10. It is hilarious and endlessly quotable. For many of those not familiar with the area some of the stuff may fall flat but I assure you they captured the yearly migration of Chicago and Illinois populace to the woods of the north perfectly and the setting is spot on to life in the Northwoods in the summer. See more Chris S @Janomi Jul 19, 2026 The Great Outdoors is at its best when it lets John Candy carry the movie with warmth. Chet Ripley could have been just a loud, frustrated dad, but Candy makes him genuinely lovable. He gives the film its heart because Chet really does want to give his family a simple, memorable vacation, even as everything falls apart around him. Dan Aykroyd is a strong contrast as Roman, the smug, flashy, competitive brother-in-law who turns a peaceful cabin trip into a constant test of status and ego. The tension between Chet’s regular-guy decency and Roman’s show-off personality gives the movie its main comic conflict. The vacation-from-hell setup is simple but enjoyable, with bears, raccoons, water skiing, the giant steak challenge, bad weather, and outdoor chaos giving the film its rewatchable charm. The emotional material is not especially deep, but the cast chemistry and broad comedy make it a good, easygoing family comedy. See more Jason H @RT50328122 Jun 8, 2026 It's painfully unfunny. See more Christopher C. @PapaTangooo May 19, 2026 “BIG BEAR CHASE ME!” See more Bret M. @BretM-3 Apr 26, 2026 Man, this movie is funny! And it’s so memorable. Each scene of tomfoolery right after the other sticks with you. I really enjoy the animal humor in this movie. The raccoons with the subtitles were funny, and any scene involving bears had me laughing and smiling ear to ear! Very enjoyable comedy indeed. See more Matthew D @OceanSage Jan 3, 2026 John Candy was a real treasure. Director Howard Deutch’s family comedy The Great Outdoors (1988) is super funny with an outstanding pair of lead comedic performances by John Candy and Dan Aykroyd. John Candy is simply delightful as the sweet father Chet Ripley, who just wants a nice, quiet fishing vacation with his wife and kids. He does feel like a regular guy you’d know. Candy’s big Kodiak bear story is a blast. Stephanie Faracy is super cute as Chet’s beloved wife Connie Ripley, who is quite playful opposite Candy. Dan Aykroyd is a riot as the obnoxious rich snob Roman Craig, who is constantly trying to one-up John Candy’s Chet, ruining his nice vacation. Annette Bening appears in her first film as Roman’s annoying wife Katie Craig. Chris Young is fun as Chet’s eldest son Buck Ripley. It’s crazy he went on to portray Max Headroom and be one of the executives at Nickelodeon. I love Bart the Bear, which is this giant grizzly bear that terrorizes John Candy. See more Read all reviews

The Great Outdoors

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