Planes, Trains and Automobiles

1987 Directed by John Hughes

What he really wanted was to spend Thanksgiving with his family. What he got was three days with the turkey.

A man must struggle to travel home for Thanksgiving, with an obnoxious slob of a shower ring salesman his only companion.

Steve Martin John Candy Laila Robins Michael McKean Dylan Baker Kevin Bacon Olivia Burnette Carol Bruce Diana Douglas Martin Ferrero Larry Hankin Richard Herd Susan Kellermann Matthew Lawrence Edie McClurg Susan Isaacs John Randolph Jones Ben Stein

Alternative Titles

Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Билет за двама, Antes Só do que Mal Acompanhado, Ticket für zwei

comedy

93 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by DirkH ★★★★★ 18

I really hate this film.....
BECAUSE EVERY TIME I SEE IT, IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY AND THEN I WANT TO DANCE, BOOGIE WOOGIE, DO SOMERSAULTS AND BACKFLIPS, POP AND LOCK AND EVEN A TWIRL AND A FAME JUMP OR TWO BUT I CAN'T BECAUSE I'M BUILT LIKE AN ELEPHANT AND HAVE THE MOTOR SKILLS OF A PREGNANT HIPPO!!!!

And I really, really miss John Candy....
Review by Hollie Horror ★★★★★ 14

me: "i'm not gonna fucking cry, i know what's going to happen, i've seen this multiple times."
*Steve Martin sits down on the train and the music starts*
me: *tears defiantly streaming down my cheeks*
Review by Todd Gaines ★★★★ 27

The Jerk and Uncle Buck as the oldest looking teenagers to ever star in a John Hughes coming-of-age-road-trip film. A taxi race with Kevin fuckin' Bacon. The first time you see John Candy's facial expressions. A bitchy flight attendant. A semi-boring sounding Ben Stein. Shower-curtain-rings are fuckin' cool. A million bucks short of being a millionaire. Hypoallergenic pillows. Extreme-sinus-cleaning. Waking up next to Del. Those aren't fuckin' pillows! A broken train. A yabba dabba doo bus ride. The invisible automobile. The fuckin' rental-car counter. You're fucked! An autographed Daryl Strawberry earring. Being grabbed by your dick. Precious moments don't come back. Almost hitting a deer. A car-honking contest. You're going the wrong fuckin' way! Two dollars and a Casio watch. A melted speedometer. Del knows a lot of fuckers. Realizing family is everything. Funny as fuck. Steve Martin is gold. John Candy is fuckin' hilarious. Fuck, I miss him. RIP Mr. Candy. RIP Mr. Hughes.
Review by Griffin Stenzel ★★★★ 13

fun fact: it’s scientifically proven that John Candy’s laugh can cure all of the diseases in the world
Review by Justin Peterson ★★★★★ 3

(Thanksgiving Rewatchathon 2020 - Movie 10)
"How may I help you? ... You can start by wiping that fucking dumb-ass smile off your rosy fucking cheeks! And you can give me a fucking automobile: a fucking Datsun, a fucking Toyota, a fucking Mustang, a fucking Buick! Four fucking wheels and a seat! ... I really don't care for the way you're speaking to me ... And I really don't care for the way your company left me in the middle of fucking nowhere with fucking keys to a fucking car that isn't fucking there. And I really didn't care to fucking walk down a fucking highway and across a fucking runway to get back here to have you smile in…
Review by Fake Shemp 3

That shot of John Candy as the devil 👨‍🍳💋
Review by Ian West ★★★★★ 6

I love how every November two different things happen... I watch this 3 or 4 times leading up to Thanksgiving... OR it’s a mad dash to try and watch it before Thanksgiving. This year was the mad dash.
I love John Candy. He was my favorite funny person growing up and I was completely devestated when he died. His performance here as eternally optimistic Del Griffith absolutely wrecks me, and the “You wanna hurt me?” speech will instantly make me cry. Maybe it’s because there’s a little Del Griffith in all of us? Or maybe it’s because there’s a little John Candy in all of us <3
Side note: I really want to sync Steve Martin figuring out the twist at the end with the Saw twist music.
Review by christian di leo ★★★★ 4

i'd have john candy over for thanksgiving dinner every year until the day i died
Review by DreamScape40 ★★★★★ 3

It's been quite a few years since the last time I watched this.
I miss John Candy!
He was the greatest!
A lot of familiar faces in this one.
Lots of fun with lots of good laughs.
A memorable ride!
Great soundtrack.
✈🚆🚗
Review by Naughty aka Juli Norwood ★★★★ 4

Steve Martin and John Candy melt your hearts, make you laugh out loud and thankful that you aren't them in this classic catastrophic road trip from hell!
Review by Ian West ★★★★★ 1

Finally synced up the “twist” at the end with the Saw Hello Zepp music and it was glorious.
Review by Harry Ridgway ★★★½ 6

Planes, Trains and Automobiles is classic John Hughes: The 80's soundtrack plastered over every scene, the risible and preposterously entertaining scenarios and of course, the introduction of sentimentalism that inconsistently succeeds. Hughes's distinguishable style is never seamless, but he sure knows how to fabricate an enjoyable jaunt, even if that jaunt is disjointed in its execution.
Neal Page has one modest wish for the thanksgiving holidays; to see his family. To do this he must catch a plane; seemingly simple task. However, as the title indicates, problems arise and he will have to board some trains and automobiles too. Indeed, he is not alone on this distressing expedition -- Del Griffith, a scruffy but munificent chap offers a hand and…

Recent reviews

Review by masterofdeeznut ★★★★★

One of my favorite comedy movies. John Candy was great in this movie like he is in all his movies.
Review by brb28 ★★★★

I’m “don’t remember a time before I loved John Candy” years old
Review by Lucio ★★★★★

Tutte le scene in auto, con John Candy che ascolta la radio mimando di suonare e poi guida tra i due TIR... potrei guardare questo film mille volte.
Review by Criv ★★★

This is a good 80s holiday comedy movie. Steve Martin and John Candy are a good duo. This is one of those movies were none of this stuff would happen anymore because of the time we live in with cell phones and technology and everyone being on pharmaceuticals.
Review by crystalsbox ★★★

Not enough explosions.
Didn't make me cry.
Review by Markus ★★★★

Auch unglaubliche 30 Jahre später immer noch lustige, herzensgute Roadmovie-Komödie.
Review by bent13 ★★½

Is it just me or are Steve Martin and Harrison Ford very similar?
Review by Gang_Star ★★★½

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

Komedie waarin een man op weg naar huis voor thanksgiving, terechtkomt in een hectische roadtrip.
Deze komedie waarin het verhaal wat minimaal is, moet het vooral hebben van de hoofdrolspelers, wie door Martin en Candy goed worden vertolkt. De grappen en hectische situaties zijn leuk en de samenwerking tussen beide hoofdrolspelers is dat ook.
Review by Laz Alberto ★★★★

Name a more iconic duo. I’ll wait.
But seriously, Candy and Martin are a paragon of comedy duos, and in this film they give their masterclass in comedy.
And if this film is a masterclass, these are the lessons:
Context - the clock is ticking until the holiday. It elevates all of the misadventures that happen.
Creativity - Del is a shower curtain ring salesman. brilliant!
Timing - the scene in the airport where he rattles off things to offer Neil as payback. Perfect.
Irony - the whole damn situation. One that’s been ripped off plenty of times throughout film and television.
Believability - we all know a lovable slob and an irritable straight man
Physicality - hotel wake up…
Review by will ★★★½

secretly all of my movie watches are thirst watches
Review by Cole ★★★★½

Not sure how it took me 28 years to finally see this classic. Steve Martin and John Candy are pure comedy.
Review by Robert California ★★★

There's like one funny scene in this movie and it's not the car rental scene.