John Candy Documentary 'I Like Me' Debuts at No. 1 on Prime Video After TIFF Premiere

The documentary John Candy: I Like Me didn’t just premiere—it landed like a warm hug in a cold room. Streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video since October 10, 2025, the film had already stolen the show at its world premiere just weeks earlier at the Toronto International Film FestivalRoy Thomson Hall in Toronto. Directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds through his company Maximum Effort, the film isn’t just a tribute—it’s a time machine. And for anyone who grew up laughing at John Candy’s clumsy charm, it’s a homecoming.

A Man Who Made Us Laugh, Even When He Was Struggling

John Candy died in 1994 at 43, collapsing from a heart attack while filming Wagons East in Mexico. Back then, the world barely had time to process the loss. He was the guy who ate an entire turkey in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, who turned Spaceballs into a cult classic, who made us believe a man could be both giant and gentle. But behind the scenes? He was battling weight, pressure, and the loneliness that often comes with being the crowd’s favorite. This documentary doesn’t shy away from that. It leans into it.

What makes I Like Me so powerful isn’t the big-name interviews—it’s the quiet stuff. Home videos of Candy playing with his kids. Audio tapes of him laughing at his own bad jokes. A moment captured on film where he tells his wife, "I don’t care what they think. I like me." That line, raw and unfiltered, became the film’s title. And it’s the emotional anchor.

Who Showed Up? Everyone Who Loved Him

The film pulls together an astonishing roster: Tom Hanks, who calls Candy his "best friend in comedy," Bill Murray, who remembers Candy’s ability to "make even silence funny," and Steve Martin, who describes him as "the only person I ever met who could turn a wardrobe malfunction into a standing ovation." Even Conan O’Brien shows up, not as a late-night host, but as a fan who stayed up late watching SCTV as a kid.

And then there’s the family. Jennifer Candy and Christopher Candy, John’s children, sit for intimate interviews—no scripts, no filters. Jennifer recalls how her dad would sneak candy into the movie theater and share it with strangers. Christopher talks about the sound of his father’s laugh echoing through the house at 3 a.m., after another long day on set. "He wasn’t perfect," Christopher says. "But he was always there. Even when he wasn’t."

A Festival Run That Turned Into a Cultural Moment

The TIFF premiere wasn’t just a screening—it was a national moment. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended, calling Candy "a national treasure who made the world feel smaller, kinder." Afterward, the Q&A ran 45 minutes over. People stood in line for hours just to say thank you.

By the time it hit Prime Video on October 10, 2025, the buzz was deafening. Within 24 hours, it hit No. 1 in the U.S. digital charts. A week later, it was still ranked #3 overall. On IMDb, it holds an 8.1/10 from over 7,600 users. One reviewer wrote: "I laughed until I cried. Then I cried until I laughed. That’s John Candy."

The film also took home the Audience Choice Award for Documentary at the 2025 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, a smaller but fiercely passionate event in northern Ontario. That win mattered. It wasn’t just about prestige—it was about authenticity. The people who showed up to see it? They remembered.

Why This Matters Now

In an era where comedy is often sharp-edged, sarcastic, or performative, Candy’s brand of warmth feels almost radical. He didn’t mock people—he included them. He made fat jokes, but never at the expense of someone’s dignity. He played the goofball, but never the fool. And in a time when public figures are dissected for every misstep, Candy’s unapologetic self-acceptance—"I like me"—feels like a quiet rebellion.

The documentary doesn’t pretend he was flawless. It shows him exhausted, overwhelmed, struggling with his health. But it also shows him choosing joy, again and again. That’s the lesson. Not that he was perfect. But that he was present. And that’s rare.

What’s Next for John Candy’s Legacy?

Amazon MGM Studios and Maximum Effort have already hinted at expanded content: behind-the-scenes reels, deleted interviews, and possibly a companion podcast featuring Candy’s original radio work from his SCTV days. There’s also talk of a limited theatrical re-release of his most beloved films—Uncle Buck, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Summer Rental—paired with the documentary’s streaming run.

For now, the film is available globally on Prime Video. No dubbed versions. No edits. Just John Candy, as he was: loud, messy, tender, and unforgettable.