By Mia Hart
“John Candy was for everybody,” says Dan Pasternack as he welcomes the audience to the Shubert Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. It’s the final stop of the month-long national tour celebrating the life and legacy of beloved Canadian actor and comedian John Candy, and everyone in attendance is fervent.
It’s just after 7 p.m., the lights dim, and a special screening of “John Candy: I Like Me” begins to play. Anticipation quickly gives way to laughter, reminiscence, and eventually, a few tears. The audience—a wonderful blend of viewers old and young, parents and children, friends and couples—is enraptured, united in their affection for the man on the screen. It’s clear that Pasternack’s words ring true: John Candy truly was for everyone.
A grand and golden man, Candy fills each frame with his sweet smile, boyish disposition, and sarcastic humor. Every single clip and interview – from Bill Murray to Tom Hanks to Dan Aykroyd – has a purpose, radiating nostalgia and fond remembrance of a man whose kindness and humility were just as defining as his talent.
Appearing in the documentary, talk show host Conan O’Brien specifically recalls inviting Candy to speak at Harvard while O’Brien was writing for the Harvard Lampoon humor magazine. Candy’s unique charm—showing up at the airport with a camera around his neck like a tourist—was evident from the moment he stepped foot into Boston. And when O’Brien expressed how someday he’d like to “try” comedy, Candy gave him advice that stuck for life: “You don’t try it, kid. You either do it, or you don’t.”
As the credits come to a close, Ryan Reynolds, executive producer of the film, takes the stage, along with Paul Myers (author of “John Candy: A Life in Comedy”) and Steven Page (singer-songwriter). Reynolds, who has filmed a number of his movies in Boston, spoke warmly of the city’s generosity and spirit, thanking the audience for making the tour’s final stop feel so special.
The conversation, part reflection, part celebration, was intimate, joyful, and in-part an ode to Canadian culture. Reynolds further shares his collaboration with Pasternack back in February 2025 about why they decided to take the film on the road: “We wanted to show it to real people,” he says.
Candy, who was often cast in roles that played off his size and humor, carried both the joys and burdens of fame. The film does not shy away from the pressures he faced—his struggles with mental and physical health, and the sense of “living on borrowed time” after losing his father (Sidney James Candy) at 35 as John was turning five years old. Yet, the overwhelming sentiment of the film is one of admiration.
An audience member shares how deeply the film moved him. “The documentary was amazing,” said Nolan Dana of Millbury, Massachusetts. “It showed how great a person John Candy was… I’d recommend everyone to go see it.”
As the night wraps up, the audience gets out of their seats as the stage fills with song. Page performs, with Reynolds, Pasternack, and Myers joining alongside. It’s a fitting tribute to a man whose spirit brought people together, on screen, in life, and of course, in remembrance.
“John Candy: I Like Me” is more than just a documentary; it’s a love letter to a man so full of life and with a heart so big. As Candy once said, embrace who you are. Or, in his famous words from “Trains, Planes and Automobiles”: “I like me.”