Hockey. Maple Syrup. The Hip. The Sky Dome. John Candy.

Quintessentially Canadian. Friendly, polite, beloved. Candy has left an indelible mark on film and our hearts. And Colin Hanks delivers a beautifully poignant and insightful look into the man. Aided by hi family and SCTV alumni, Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Bill Murray and Dan Akryoyd, the documentary explores Candy’s life, his love of the movies (he used to go to the now defunct theater right around the corner from my apartment), and the events of his early life that shaped who he became.

Emotional, and often laugh-out-loud funny, Hanks lets interviews from Candy and his friends tell the story. The stereotyping of Candy as the ‘big guy,’ his caring and attention to his fellow performers, and his dedication as a family man. Not to mention a Canadian icon.

Watching this look back on Candy it’s very hard not to get emotional. In fact, it’s very easy to let the tears flow because you, the viewer, are reminded of who Candy was, in all ways, and what we lost when he was taken from us so young.

Filled with countless clips from his work, you can see the magic and talent Candy brought to the screen, and while there are countless to choose from, THAT scene from Planes, Trains & Automobiles, from which the doc takes its name, is one of my favorites. That and the interrogation scene in Uncle Buck.

The film celebrates who the man was, and feels oh so Canadian.

This one is a must-see and TIFF has offered up four more times to fit it into your viewing schedule. All four screenings will take place at Scotiabank Threater. You can find it on Thursday at 9pm, Friday at 9am, Saturday at 9am, and Sunday at 9:25am.

And don’t panic if you don’t get to see it at TIFF, MGM has the rights to it, so that means it will be showing up on Amazon Prime. Make sure you watch it.