One of the classic dysfunctional family vacation comedies, The Great Outdoors pits the hapless but well-intended John Candy against his one-upmanship minded brother-in-law, Dan Aykroyd. The movie is full of cheesy 80s clichés and silliness, but it’s darn fun to watch. Most of the clichés are easily forgotten, as they don’t occur during the film's most memorable scenes.
And boy are those scenes memorable! Chasing a bat out of the cabin, Akroyd’s freaky daughters, rambunctious sub-titled raccoons, Candy’s story about the monstrous bald-headed bear, and the final 15 minutes or so including a showdown with said bear. Yeah, the filmmakers try slipping in a little sentimental mumbo-jumbo and a quaint message about family togetherness, but all that is easily overlooked by the sheer hilarity of The Great Outdoors’ high points.
As an added bonus, film lovers will catch a glimpse of a young Annette Benning in her first major motion picture appearance.
One of the classic dysfunctional family vacation comedies, The Great Outdoors pits the hapless but well-intended John Candy against his one-upmanship minded brother-in-law, Dan Aykroyd. The movie is full of cheesy 80s clichés and silliness, but it’s darn fun to watch. Most of the clichés are easily forgotten, as they don’t occur during the film's most memorable scenes.
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