John Hughes
Un biglietto in due

Neal Page (Steve Martin) is in New York for work but will soon return to his home in Chicago for Thanksgiving. Neal Page works in marketing; he is a well-dressed, distinguished, polite, reserved gentleman. Due to a series of unfortunate circumstances, he will have serious difficulties reaching his home. As if that weren't enough, another traveler will accompany him, a chubby almost forty-year-old, jovial, talkative, good-natured, and clumsy fellow named Deal Griffith (John Candy), who does not blend well with Neal's practically opposite personality, but for some reason, Deal seems to really want to be friends with Neal or at least to make a good impression on him, to help him in case of need. Neal, on the other hand, wants to get rid of this cumbersome and unwanted travel companion...

This is the plot of an American comedy from the late '80s, in my opinion, little less than perfect. It has everything: rhythm, brilliant and non-trivial dialogues, a really well-matched, magnificent pair. And to say that Steve Martin has never driven me crazy, but in this film, he is really good and convincing. John Candy, on the other hand, has always appealed to me, and here too, he doesn't miss a beat. Come on, how can you not like someone like JC (rest his soul)?

A film undoubtedly to rediscover, where you laugh and even get moved, but not in the crude/gross way of some films today where they resort to strong means to extort tears, like a tragic death, maybe accidentally killed or in a car accident, of a son/wife/husband/best friend, etc., with the protagonist who thus has the TRAUMA and does things (strange things) because he has the TRAUMA, poor thing.

In this film, the teary moment is not only unfaked but, in its simplicity, is entirely functional to the story. I can't say more so as not to spoil the possible viewing for those who haven't seen this film. I myself had never seen it, but it aired on TV yesterday, and it was a pleasant surprise.

A minor key comedy, perhaps, in the sense that there isn't a super-cast and because the film relies solely on this strange couple, but it is a truly brilliant and successful comedy, a little gem.

Enjoy the movie.