John Candy was the mascot of laughter and fun in Hollywood comedies before his untimely death in 1994 but emerges as a complicated and struggling comedy genius in the trailer for Prime Video’s John Candy: I Like Me.
The emotional teaser dropped ahead of a world premiere for director Colin Hanks‘ and producer Ryan Reynolds‘ feature documentary at the Toronto Film Festival on Thursday night. “This is a guy who, the minute you see his face, you’re going to smile,” fellow Canadian actor and SCTV alum Dave Thomas says during an interview.
But the trailer also reveals the emotional pain and vulnerability Candy held deep within himself owing to personal ghosts and the pressures of Hollywood fame. That includes the childhood trauma of seeing his own father unexpectedly die when he was a young boy growing up in a suburb of Toronto.
“If you go a whole lifetime eating your feelings, drinking your feelings, smoking your nerves, it shows up,” Chris Candy, son of John Candy says at one point in the trailer. Other SCTV alum like Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short and Eugene Levy also appear in the trailer to reflect on Candy’s life, career and the comedy business losing a legend before his time.
The teaser also features Cynthia Erivo’s original recording of “Everytime You Go Away.” John Candy: I Like Me will launch on Prime Video on Oct. 10.
Hanks and Reynolds shares the producer credits with Sean Stuart, Glen Zipper, George Dewey, Johnny Pariseau and Shane Reid, while Ashley Fox and Patrick Gooing executive produce along with Chris Candy, Jennifer Candy-Sullivan and Rosemary Candy.
