sol- Responsible for kidnapping his latest client's daughter, the head of a private detective agency hires his least competent employee to work this case, only to be baffled when the man's incompetence helps him make headway in this lively comedy starring John Candy. Donning several different disguises (thanks to some stellar makeup work) as he goes about solving the case, Candy's performance has brought about comparisons to Chevy Chase in 'Fletch', however, with Candy's utter incompetence, this is actually a very different sort of film. Candy is thoroughly likable throughout with his heart (if not his mind) always in the right place and there is a lot to like in how he benevolently takes the victim's neglected teenage sister under his wing without any trite romantic sparks igniting between them. Above all else though, 'Who's Harry Crumb?' is a laugh-out-loud affair with such zaniness as a footsies scene in which three characters at a table each think that someone else is playing with them. A large number of gags are admittedly foreshadowed too heavily in advance for full effect, such as Candy landing in a sitting position in a living room sofa and Candy crashing into a glass cabinet, however, they are still funny thanks to Candy's near nonchalance towards his buffoonery, carrying on in almost all cases as if nothing has even happened. Indeed, while some have dismissed the movie due to the slapstick nature of most of the gags, it is how Candy handles himself in these moments rather than the physical humour itself which generates the most laughs.

Lee Eisenberg Throughout most of his career, John Candy starred in innocuously silly movies like "Who's Harry Crumb?". The whole thing seems like an excuse to just be goofy, with Candy as a bumbling detective hired to solve the kidnapping of an heiress. The shenanigans in which the family and its associates are engaging seem like they could be the plot on their own. But anyway, this is nice, brainless humor at its finest, especially the scene in the vent. Too bad that John Candy died so young. Pretty funny movie.Also starring Jeffrey Jones, Annie Potts (Janine in "Ghostbusters"), Tim Thomerson (of "Trancers"), Barry Corbin and Shawnee Smith (of the "Saw" movies).

hs_pa John Candy is hilarious but even his comedic talent wasn't enough to fix this slapstick mess. The physical comedy is over the top and the dialogue is full of adolescent nonsensical humor. The movie started off with a bang as a beautiful woman layed on her back naked in a mud pack completely oblivious to the fact that her masseuse was being Chloroformed directly in front of her. Open your eyes lady! Scream before the masseuse goes under and her attacker reloads the rag! She really did look funny, laying there nude and muddy, because I knew she was next and the thought of her being anesthetized in that mud pack was hilarious!And did she ever look goofy trying to pry the anesthetic pad from her mouth with just her middle finger as her lights went out! One thin finger taking on her attacker's entire iron hand while naked in a mud pack and "mmmmphing" into an anesthetic pad. Now that's funny!Too bad it all went downhill from there.

Son_of_Mansfield It's a shame that he chose to waste his comedic gifts on cheap movies like this. He hits the few goods jokes squarely and trudges through the bad ones like the professional that he is. Jeffrey Jones does the same and plays well off of Candy while Annie Potts is decent as the money seeking wife. Barry Corbin, Tim Thomerson, and Shawnee Smith round out the serviceable cast. It's the script that is the disappointment. One of it's "gems" has Crumb trying to take pictures of a cheating husband for his wife, but ends up taking pictures of the couple together. His response? He says he found the mistress, her. Ha, huh? Whatever. My favorite has to be that Jones' character thinks that the women who personally tried to kill her husband and betrayed the lover she told to do it could ever be trusted. Just because the main character is supposed to be oblivious doesn't mean that entire movie has to be.