Review: After air traffic controller Jack Chester (John Candy) loses a plane (it's covered on his screen by a fly), he's told to take a break. Jack books his family into a plush resort, but it turns out that their lodgings are in a hut by the beach, and that's as good as the vacation gets. In an effort to try and salvage the vacation, Jack goes head to head with local snobby sailing champion Al Pellet (Richard Crenna), who is trying desperately to get the Chesters evicted and sent packing from his beloved Gulf Coast resort town.
Summer Rental is nothing more than a mindless comedy. I'm a big fan of John Candy, and while this isn't one of his best films, it certainly serves it's purposes as a quick summer comedy with a handful of laughs. Rip Torn adds to this cast as a local sailor named Richard Scully with a penchant for acting like a pirate. Candy and Torn are a lot of fun in their scenes together. This film hits comedic lulls from time to time, but overall it leans more towards charming than outwardly boring. Plus, as a big Chicago Blackhawks fan, I always get a kick out of John Candy wearing a Stan Mikita jersey while participating in a sailing competition. Overall, this movie isn't the best '80s comedy you'll find, but it certainly isn't the worst either. Next time you're looking for some lighthearted John Candy fun, as Jack says: "Come on thru. I'm Joe Public, welcome to my beach."
Fun Fact: Karen Austin (Sandy Chester) was only 29 when the movie was filmed, and is less than 12 years older than Kerri Green, who played her daughter.