Planes, Trains & Automobiles (Film Review)

Happy Thanksgiving Day! It's that wonderful time of the year where families gather around the dinner table, pull the turkey out of the oven, and enjoy the spirit of love and warmth in this wondrous occasion. I already mentioned it myself, when it comes to holiday movies, Thanksgiving is the most neglected when it comes to movie-making. There are barely a few notable examples that encapsulates the aura of the occasion, one of which is the timeless classic 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles'.

In New York the marketing executive Neal Page wants to travel home to Chicago for Thanksgiving. He has difficulties getting a taxi and his flight is cancelled. He meets in the airport the clumsy and talkative shower curtain ring salesman Del Griffith who has taken his cab and they travel side-by-side to Chicago. However the bad weather shuts down O'Hare Airport and they land at Wichita, Kansas. They both want to go to Chicago and they decide to travel together. Along their journey Neal changes his viewpoint about Del Griffith and his own behavior.

Steve Martin, in an unconventional hot-tempered role, stars as Neal Page which is forced to square-off with comedic legend John Candy (Del Griffith in the movie). The chemistry between the two actors was the main ingredient of this film. Without it, the jokes and antics would've been nothing. But thanks to the excellent script by John Hughes, the pairing of the two actors were spot-on; even to the awkward scenarios like the infamous scene with Del intimately hugging Neal as his pillow, you just can't help but to smile and get along to the fun.

These two characters are literally inseparable. Which hilariously led them to stay together in a slew of transportation vehicles (what the title suggests: planes, trains and automobiles). Todd Philips tried to grab that charm Martin and Candy have, in Due Date with Robert Downey, Jr. and Zack Galifianakis; which resulted to a misfire and very forced.

Aside from writing, John Hughes also directed this movie. Which is afar from what he's known for: coming of age films with teenagers as the lead like Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Breakfast Club to name a few, did a phenomenal job with his perfect comedic timing, and impeccable dialogue.

The film ended on a very sad note. A constant reminder why I love this film in the first place. 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles' is one of the best comedies that you'll ever see, and a very must-see holiday film.

The geek rates it 10/10!