Product Details

• Actors: John Candy, Richard Crenna, Rip Torn, Karen Austin, Kerri Green
• Directors: Carl Reiner
• Writers: Jeremy Stevens, Mark Reisman
• Producers: Bernie Brillstein, George Shapiro, Jeremy Stevens, Mark Reisman
• Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Widescreen, Dolby, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Paramount
• DVD Release Date: April 17, 2001
• Run Time: 86 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (100 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000059TES
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,704 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Summer Rental" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

John Candy's first leading role was in this 1985 film by Carl Reiner, in which the comic actor played a stressed-out air traffic controller who takes his family on a Florida vacation and has to deal with arrogant, rich jerks. Candy is good in what is almost a straight part (albeit with some jokes), and Reiner keeps the tone in check so his star has an opportunity to show more than one dimension. --Tom Keogh

Product Description

This routine comedy is about a series of misadventures during a family vacation at the beach and stars John Candy (who died of a heart attack while filming in Mexico in 1994) as John Chester and Karen Austin as his long-suffering wife Sandy. When the family leave for what turns out to be a pretty decrepit shack on a public beach, Jack eventually locks horns with the owner of this dubious piece of real estate, and their conflict terminates in a boat race in which Jack and his motley crew are at first glance, and even second, no match for the others in the race. In the meantime, there are plenty of skits with Jack dressed as anything from an ample, unintentional likeness of a geisha to the normal tourist dude in a Hawaiian shirt. His wife and daughter tackle their own problems, related to sex in one way or another, mostly another.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Charming & cute September 22, 2001

By Bectile

Format:VHS Tape|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is one of my boyfriend's favorite movies and I have grown fond of it as well. It isn't the kind of movie that has you busting out laughing, but it puts a smile on your face and leaves you happy. The music is uplifting and the whole movie has a mellow tone, but I never considered it "slow" as some have.

I do have one issue with this movie, for which the lack of information is driving me crazy:

Am I the only person in the world to notice that there are scenes deleted from the pay channel, VHS and DVD versions? If you watch it on basic cable there are several scenes NOT found in the "uncut" (no commercials) versions:

1) On the drive down to Florida, they have fast food in the car, and feed the dog Archie the onion rings, who then has terrible gas
2) When they are in the wrong rental house the dog is continually shown chewing on the legs of the couch instead of the bones he is being offered by John Candy
3) Right after they leave the wrong house and the rightful owners sigh with relief, the couch falls over as a result of the dog chewing on the legs (they break)

Does Columbia Pictures have something against this dog? I thought those scenes added to the enjoyment of the film! I have purchased and returned the VHS and DVD versions, each time excited to be able to see the entire movie uncut.

If you're reading this, powers that can, please release a special edition with ALL the scenes!!!

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Cut Scene February 12, 2005

By Cliff Sharp

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really enjoy John Candy's movies and have copies of most of them. However, since I had seen "Summer Rental" at least twice, I was disappointed when upon viewing this copy, I became aware it had been edited. I know at least one scene was cut (The one involving their pet dog chewing the leg off the chair in the first beach cabin they moved into). I wish someone would develop a method of indicating whether a copy of a movie has been edited from the original release version.

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars OUTSTANDING January 6, 2004

By Shirley Priscilla Johnson TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

John Candy does an outstanding job in this movie, playing the part of Jack Chester, a burned out traffic controller who desperately needs a relaxing vacation. Too bad he doesn't get one!
Taking his family to Florida, he does not know the cabin he has rented is right next door to a public walk leading to the beach.
Living in Florida, I certainly know how busy those walks can be, and that only heightened the laughter for me, as Jack had to deal with 'walkers' everyday, who wanted a glass of water or to use the bathroom. Good Lord!
Add to that a budding teenage daughter, a neighbor who wants to show off her new 'breasts' and rich jerks who think they own the Florida beaches (oh yes,I have seen them as well).
This all adds up to a great movie, one that you will watch time and time again. Outstanding!