Ryan Reynolds revealed the official trailer for “John Candy: I Like Me” on Tuesday. His caption was brief. On Instagram, he wrote, “Love is not a big enough word.” For a guy whose entire public brand runs on wit and deadpan humor, that kind of simplicity hits differently.
The post went up July 1 and drew close to 300,000 likes. That’s not surprising. Candy doesn’t just have fans. He has people who grew up watching him, who still quote “Cool Runnings” on command, who treat “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” like a personal keepsake.
The documentary is produced through Reynolds’ Maximum Effort company. It’s set to air on ABC and stream on Disney+. No release date has been announced beyond the trailer.
Reynolds and Candy share an obvious connection. Both are Canadian, and Candy was one of the biggest comedic talents to ever come out of the country. Reynolds has expressed admiration for him in the past. A full-length documentary through his own production company goes beyond admiration, though. It’s a real commitment.
Candy died in March 1994. He was 43. The loss still stings for people who loved his work. In the decade before his death, he became one of the most beloved comedy actors in North America. His years on SCTV built a devoted following. His film work sealed it. “Uncle Buck,” “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” and “Cool Runnings” gave him a warmth on screen that felt completely real.
The title “I Like Me” reportedly came from Candy himself. It pointed to something honest about his life. He struggled with his self-image. Millions of people adored him, but that didn’t always make carrying that kind of fame any easier. The people close to him watched him deal with that weight for years. A documentary willing to go into that territory, not just the career highlights, would be genuinely worth watching.
Reynolds hasn’t shared details about the film’s runtime or who appears in it. The trailer is all there is right now. It seems to be enough. The combination of Reynolds’ name and Candy’s face stopped a lot of people in their feeds on Tuesday.
For longtime fans, this announcement is long overdue. For younger viewers who mainly know Candy from “Home Alone” or “Cool Runnings,” this could be a real introduction to how funny and how human he was. Either way, “I Like Me” has become one of the more anticipated documentaries of the year.