Movie Review: Summer Rental (1985)

★★★★★

Summer Rental is just good old goofy fun. John Candy is trying to relax but everything going wrong relatable and hilarious.

Tom A.

Illinois

Some comedies make you laugh out loud. Others make you smile for 90 straight minutes. Summer Rental falls into that second category, not because it’s lacking in jokes (there are plenty), but because it captures a certain warmth that makes you want to stay in its world.

Rewatching it for BoxReview.com, I realized Summer Rental is more than just a vacation comedy. It’s a movie about slowing down, making mistakes, and finding a way to enjoy life even when nothing goes according to plan.

The Premise: A Break That Becomes Anything But

Candy plays Jack Chester, an overworked air traffic controller whose stress is starting to affect both his job and his home life. His doctor orders him to take a vacation, so Jack packs up the family for a summer rental in sunny Florida.

The only problem? Their “dream” beach house is a dump, their neighbors are snobs, and Jack’s natural tendency to bumble into trouble follows him right to the shoreline. Eventually, Jack finds himself in a high-stakes sailing competition against a wealthy local (Richard Crenna), despite having zero sailing experience.

It’s part fish-out-of-water comedy, part underdog sports movie, with a lot of sunburn jokes in between.

John Candy: Relatable Everyman, Comic Gold

The late, great John Candy had a knack for playing characters you wanted to hang out with. In Summer Rental, he’s in peak “lovable dad” mode. Jack is clumsy, overeager, and occasionally exasperated, but Candy plays him with so much warmth that you’re always rooting for him.

What makes the performance special is that Candy doesn’t go for nonstop gags; he lets Jack’s frustrations build until they boil over in comedic bursts. His timing is impeccable, whether he’s muttering to himself about beach parking or awkwardly trying to navigate a sailboat.

The Supporting Cast: A Who’s Who of 80s Comedy Staples

• Karen Austin as Jack’s patient but grounded wife, Sandy.

• Joey Lawrence (yes, that Joey Lawrence) as one of the Chester kids.

• Richard Crenna as the smirking, overly confident sailing champion Al Pellet, a perfect “rich guy you love to hate.”

• Rip Torn as Scully, the crusty old sailor who becomes Jack’s unlikely mentor.

Torn, in particular, steals every scene he’s in. Scully is the kind of role that could have been a cliché, but Torn gives him an eccentric charm that makes him unforgettable.

The Florida Vibe: Not Just a Backdrop

Many vacation comedies could take place anywhere, but Summer Rental really leans into its seaside setting. The bright, sun-bleached cinematography, the bustling beach crowds, the seafood joints, it’s basically a love letter to low-key coastal towns.

There’s also a certain authenticity to the way the movie shows the off-season locals versus the summer vacationers. You get the sense these characters have been bumping elbows (and egos) for years.

Under-Discussed Detail: It’s More About Balance Than Winning

While the sailing race is the big “event” of the movie, the heart of Summer Rental is about Jack learning to stop taking life so seriously. The whole movie is filled with small reminders that time with family matters more than work stress or social competition.

In that way, it’s closer to a lighthearted family dramedy than a pure slapstick comedy. That balance gives it more staying power than you might expect from an ’80s vacation movie.

The Humor: Situational Over Slapstick

There are pratfalls (Candy trying to carry too many beach chairs will always get a laugh), but a lot of the comedy comes from Jack’s interactions with the locals and his complete lack of sailing knowledge.

One of my favorite sequences is Jack trying to “train” for the race with Scully, which mostly involves a lot of yelling, tangled ropes, and questionable boat repairs. It’s funny, but also builds a genuine mentor-student rapport between the two.

Music and Atmosphere: Pure 80s Comfort

Alan Silvestri’s score keeps things breezy, with hints of nautical themes and lighthearted cues. It’s not a soundtrack you’ll see on vinyl reissues, but it works perfectly for the tone of the movie, playful without being distracting.

Why Summer Rental Still Works

Some ’80s comedies feel dated in tone or humor, but Summer Rental still clicks because its comedy comes from personality, not just punchlines. It’s easy to connect with Jack’s need for a break, his frustration when the break goes wrong, and his small triumphs along the way.

Also, there’s something comforting about a summer comedy that isn’t mean-spirited. Even the “villain” is more of a foil than a real threat.

Final Thoughts

Summer Rental isn’t trying to be a big, outrageous comedy, and that’s its secret weapon. It’s a sweet, funny, and easygoing movie that lets John Candy shine as the heart of the story.

If you’re looking for an ’80s comfort watch that will make you laugh, relax, and maybe daydream about your own beach trip, it’s worth adding to your list.