Jack Chester (John Candy) is an over-stressed 13-year air traffic controller. His boss forces him to take a vacation. With his wife Sandy (Karen Austin), kids Jennifer (Kerri Green), Bobby (Joey Lawrence) and Laurie, they drive down to Citrus Cove, Florida. The town big shot Al Pellet (Richard Crenna) cuts in line at the restaurant right before the Chesters and takes the last of the lobsters. Their luxurious rental turns out to be a wrong address. Their actual rental is a rundown beach house. Jack rents a boat and crashes into Pellet. The rivalry gets even worst when Pellet buys the rental house and throws the Chesters out. Jack challenges him in a yacht race using restaurant owner Scully (Rip Torn)'s old decommissioned boat.On the page, Jack is boorish and rather clueless. He's a sitcom dad and could have been a rather tired caricature. The difference between the page and the screen is John Candy. He is absolutely charming. He is the engine that drives this boat and Carl Reiner knows it. The kids and the wife have only a few sections by themselves without Jack. This is a silly 80s comedy which is elevated by Candy.

Jack (John Candy) has been an air traffic control for 13 years. Maybe it is bad luck, for the stress is finally getting to him and, when he mistakes a fly on his screen for an airplane, he is called into the office. He MUST take a four week vacation or be let go. Naturally, with a wife and three kids, he doesn't want to lose his position! So, its vacay time, to the delight of his family. From Atlanta, the group decides to travel to a resort city in Florida. When they arrive at the rental home, their good fortune is almost beyond belief. The house, on the water, is large with every amenity. All are thrilled. Yet, there are problems. Almost immediately, Jack has a run in with a local rich big wig, Al (Richard Crenna) who despises temporary renters. Then, folks try to break into the house one night. But, alas, they are the home owners, who quickly point out that Jack has the wrong address! Fortunately, they don't press charges if all go immediately. As can be expected, the correct rental address is a rundown shack with heavy beach traffic. Then, too, Al is able to bump Jack's loved ones to a lower place on a restaurant wait list and eats the last lobsters available. In a huff, Jack and the troop go to Scully's (Rip Torn) smaller place where they make friends and have a great meal. In fact, Scully teaches Jack how to sail. This becomes important as Jack challenges Al to winning a local sail race. Can the renter get his revenge on the snooty Al? This is a fun film, made better, naturally, because of Candy's great talents. Watching him chase unwelcome guests out of his rental house, on crutches, is pretty funny. Crenna, Torn, and all of the others do funny work as well. In addition, the beach setting is lovely while the script has plenty of hijinks and laughs. An energetic direction completes the picture. This was the first film I ever bought on video and when I "re-found" it the other day, I was happy. Nearly 30 years later, its still a very entertaining film for all.

This is the sort of movie that plays with more impact in a theater than on TV or DVD. On the small screen, not only do you miss interacting with a sympathetic audience, but the timing and the editing seem not quite right. Oddly, the movie's screenplay construction which relies heavily on one-off episodes would seem ideal for television, but this is not the case. The climactic yacht race does not come across with the impact a live audience would give it. Instead, the editing often seems mistimed and fails to build as effectively as it should to the anticipated climax. In fact, it cuts out just at the point where it should start to get really exciting. Instead of building to a climax, the race almost fades away. It seems as if director Carl Reiner was telling us: "Well, you all know what's going to happen so it's no use making a big thing of it. We've got one joke to pull, and that should do it!" John Candy gets the director's rapt attention at all times. So does Rip Torn. But Richard Crenna's role is not built up sufficiently (although he has his moments). In fact, aside from Rip Torn (and briefly, Miss "Are they real?"), director Reiner always seems to be aiming his camera squarely at Candy at the expense of almost everyone else in the vast cast,

Jack Chester, an air traffic controller, is burned. He almost provokes an accident when a fly lands in his computer screen. His boss suggests some time off. To this effect a house is secured in a Florida resort area. Jack and his family pack a U-Haul, and go to the Sunshine State. Little do they know they are in for a big adventure.The house where the Chesters land is a dream come true. Wow, how lucky can they be? The fun doesn't last as the right owners come to claim their property as the Chesters have gone to the wrong address! The real house they rented is another story. Suddenly, their vacation turns into a not so pleasant experience.Jack Chester, who has made a good friend in Scully, the owner of The Barnacle, wants to rent one of the boats to teach his young son how to sail. He becomes quite a pro with the help of Scully. For the regatta that is going to be held at the beach resort, Scully proposes to refit The Barnacle for the race. Al Pellet, the wealthy resident of the resort, has won the cup for the last seven years and wants to keep the trophy. Little does he know who he is racing against!Carl Reiner directed this 1984 film. He was lucky in having John Candy, a wonderful comedy actor to star in it. The whole thing is a tribute to the late Mr. Candy, a man who died too soon, as proved by this film, that although is not one of the best that both the director, or its star made, it has some sunny moments. Rip Torn and Richard Crenna, appear as Scully and Pellet.