Amy Adler Jack (John Candy) has been an air traffic control for 13 years. Maybe it is bad luck, for the stress is finally getting to him and, when he mistakes a fly on his screen for an airplane, he is called into the office. He MUST take a four week vacation or be let go. Naturally, with a wife and three kids, he doesn't want to lose his position! So, its vacay time, to the delight of his family. From Atlanta, the group decides to travel to a resort city in Florida. When they arrive at the rental home, their good fortune is almost beyond belief. The house, on the water, is large with every amenity. All are thrilled. Yet, there are problems. Almost immediately, Jack has a run in with a local rich big wig, Al (Richard Crenna) who despises temporary renters. Then, folks try to break into the house one night. But, alas, they are the home owners, who quickly point out that Jack has the wrong address! Fortunately, they don't press charges if all go immediately. As can be expected, the correct rental address is a rundown shack with heavy beach traffic. Then, too, Al is able to bump Jack's loved ones to a lower place on a restaurant wait list and eats the last lobsters available. In a huff, Jack and the troop go to Scully's (Rip Torn) smaller place where they make friends and have a great meal. In fact, Scully teaches Jack how to sail. This becomes important as Jack challenges Al to winning a local sail race. Can the renter get his revenge on the snooty Al? This is a fun film, made better, naturally, because of Candy's great talents. Watching him chase unwelcome guests out of his rental house, on crutches, is pretty funny. Crenna, Torn, and all of the others do funny work as well. In addition, the beach setting is lovely while the script has plenty of hijinks and laughs. An energetic direction completes the picture. This was the first film I ever bought on video and when I "re-found" it the other day, I was happy. Nearly 30 years later, its still a very entertaining film for all.

Jonathon Dabell The 1980s saw a glut of disaster-vacation comedies – "National Lampoon's Vacation", "National Lampoon's European Vacation", "The Great Outdoors" and "Summer Rental" are just four that spring to mind. A common factor between most of these films is that many of them feature John Candy. He had just a short cameo in "National Lampoon's Vacation", and had to share the comic honours with Dan Akroyd in "The Great Outdoors"…. but "Summer Rental" is very much a starring vehicle for big John, and he is the best thing about this otherwise very obvious and predictable beachfront farce.Overworked air traffic controller Jack Chester (John Candy) is ordered by his superiors to take a little time off after losing his nerve one day at work. Jack takes the opportunity to travel down to Florida for a summer vacation with his family – beautiful wife Sandy (Karen Austin), blossoming daughter Jennifer (Kerri Green), cheeky son Bobby (Joey Lawrence) and toddler Laurie (Aubrey Jene). Almost from the moment they arrive the vacation is a catalogue of disasters. Jack falls asleep on the beachfront and gets heavily sunburnt; the holiday home they think they've rented turns out to belong to someone else and they find themselves in a run-down shack instead; Jennifer starts getting a little too friendly with the local lifeguards; etc. etc. Jack also crosses swords with local playboy Al Pellet (Richard Crenna), little suspecting that Pellet actually owns the holiday home in which his family is staying. When Pellet orders the family to leave they are devastated, but Jack comes up with the idea of challenging Pellet by betting that he can defeat him in the annual sailing regatta. Problem is that Jack doesn't even have a boat, but he solves this by persuading local restaurateur Scully (Rip Torn) to convert his floating restaurant so that it can be used in the race!This is Candy's film and he comes across affably as the parent whose determination to please his family usually ends in disaster. Austin is very attractive as his wife (surprising that she never went on to enjoy much of a career), while Crenna has obvious fun as the obnoxious playboy. Torn rounds off the principal players in a typically hammy but occasionally amusing role as a one-handed, piratical restaurant owner. "Summer Rental" loses marks in the script and story department because it's so thin and obvious. We've seen variations on this basic concept time and again, and the writers (Jeremy Stevens and Mark Reisman) and director (Carl Reiner) make no attempts to freshen up the familiar material. Also, the film's contrived climax is so improbable and sentimental that it provokes more groans than smiles. At least "Summer Rental" is a short film, so even when it slips into its periodic mawkishness it never really outstays its welcome. It's one of those films that you'll watch, you smile at from time to time, and then you'll forget.

jotix100 Jack Chester, an air traffic controller, is burned. He almost provokes an accident when a fly lands in his computer screen. His boss suggests some time off. To this effect a house is secured in a Florida resort area. Jack and his family pack a U-Haul, and go to the Sunshine State. Little do they know they are in for a big adventure.The house where the Chesters land is a dream come true. Wow, how lucky can they be? The fun doesn't last as the right owners come to claim their property as the Chesters have gone to the wrong address! The real house they rented is another story. Suddenly, their vacation turns into a not so pleasant experience.Jack Chester, who has made a good friend in Scully, the owner of The Barnacle, wants to rent one of the boats to teach his young son how to sail. He becomes quite a pro with the help of Scully. For the regatta that is going to be held at the beach resort, Scully proposes to refit The Barnacle for the race. Al Pellet, the wealthy resident of the resort, has won the cup for the last seven years and wants to keep the trophy. Little does he know who he is racing against!Carl Reiner directed this 1984 film. He was lucky in having John Candy, a wonderful comedy actor to star in it. The whole thing is a tribute to the late Mr. Candy, a man who died too soon, as proved by this film, that although is not one of the best that both the director, or its star made, it has some sunny moments. Rip Torn and Richard Crenna, appear as Scully and Pellet.

utahdesertkat John Candy's wit and humor shines through as Jack Chester, the over worked air traffic controller who reluctantly takes a vacation to the beach with his family. The laughs keep coming as Jack and his family spend the summer at the beach with many mishaps occurring throughout the movie. The movie is about family and new friends pulling together, working side by side, believing in a dream and achieving an impossible goal. We've watched this movie many times, but we still laugh and feel good when the movie ends. The standing joke at our home, when we eat dinner out at a restaurant that passes off breaded fish as an expensive seafood item with a fancy name, is "Look - it's Scully's Catch of the day"! This movie is good, clean, family fun - entertainment for the entire family!