Planes, Trains & Automobiles - Movie Review

The film we sympathize in is ‘Planes, Trains, and Automobiles’ depicting Neal Page, an actor played by Steve Martin, going through a stressful experience of having to get back home from Chicago to acquire his turkey for the Thanksgiving celebration. Squeaky voiced and ill-favored, Neal is the epitome of an ordinary businessman traveling with his colleague, Del Griffith, a.k.a John Candy, a shower-curtain-ring salesman. Amidst numerous traveling mishaps, Neal’s adventures are as preposterous as one can imagine. The trials with patience that they go through in airports, trains, and highways lead to one of the sweetest scenes. The plot is very characteristic and succeeds at combining comedy with somewhat touching scenes of the show, so one will most definitely remember watching it.

It is a comedic drama that presents the ridiculousness of the holiday trip and, at the same time, reveals the real values of friendship, tolerance, and kindness. John Hughes sets up a comedic and sentimental filler while depicting the congregation’s quirks and petty annoyances in order to provide lessons about compassion and human affection. The Thanksgiving setting focuses on reception and the relationships that can develop from having a common enemy.

Steve Martin and John Candy’s incredible on-screen camaraderie is in the bleeding center of the movie. Neal Page’s character has been played by Martin, an overworked corporate man, which complements Candy’s character of the exceedingly cheerful and enthralling Del Griffith. They play pranks on each other as well as show some of the more tender moments in their developing friendship. Other secondary acting characters great Laila Robins and Kevin Bacon are so vital in the development of the film’s characters.

Fortunately, under the able directorial sought of John Hughes, the film glides effortlessly between comedy and drama. Hughes who is famous for the recreation of everyday life simple and humorous can install credibility to the ridiculous scenes. His direction is always strategic enough that although the plot of the episodes may be filled with cross-generational comedies, and the stories are properly filled with tension, deep and meaningful emotions are never overlooked.

Accompanying the movie’s atmosphere is a selection of eighties pop tracks and an equally iconic music by Ira Newborn. There’s some great rock music throughout, and it really does add to the cutesy and wacky aspect of the ride while also improving humorous and quieter parts of the experience.

It is the lens that records the expansive geography of the America transforming the locations into characters. To reach the travel scenes, there is a shooting styles that support the run-and-gun feel of the protagonists… If there are comedic scenes, they also try to capture them in ways that enhance the comedic genius.

Costuming is etcetera with some reality when it comes to production and the different ordeals that Neal and Del go through in the film. Can a period car be smoke filled? Maybe not, but it is a perfect touch to their misadventures, so are cramped motels!

Despite the lack of depending on special effects, practical effects are employed in the movie to maximum comic effect especially when it comes to car accidents . These elements help create the feeling of chaos apprehensible for the viewers.

‘The editing is very precise and it keep quite fast so it is very well related with the speed of Neo and Del’s trip. The film is successfully able to offer fast montage with a contrast of slower moments, where important aspects of characters’ development can be observed while watching comedy.

Stylistically the film is fast-paced, which seems to correspond with the time line of traveling. But, it does that in a rather masterful way only during moments of character self-contemplation, thus giving a worthy counterpoint to the action packed.

‘Planes, Trains & Automobiles’ – being a Neal Simon comedy – is laced up with well-measured and well-placed dose of humour topped with a layer of heart touching sentiment. Neal is cynical, Del is defined by optimism, and still, John Hughes’ screenplay makes a script of jokes with reflections on life.

Looking at the comedy and emotions in the picture, it is necessary to note that some gaps can be viewed now as outdated. Also, some supporting characters are portrayed stereotypically instead of portraying a real human being. Nevertheless it is a small flaw in an otherwise great film There is nothing much that could have been wrong with the movie.

It is said ‘Planes, Trains & Automobiles’ is a hilarious movie but that actually means it is a comic tour that is filled with warmth as well. This is why it symbolizes a road movie more than Friend of the World, and why it is timeless and captures the real Thanksgiving spirit and unpredictability of life – friendship. One can hardly imagine better portrayal of comedies by two performers with Steve Martin and John Candy providing the film with marvellous humorous scenes which make the movie a real hit of those years.