Planes, Trains and Automobiles

To anyone who has suffered the pains and anguish of long-distance travel, director John Hughes' nightmare odyssey may provide a crumb of comic comfort.

Frazzled ad executive Neil (Martin) is on his way home for Thanksgiving after an out-of-state conference. Or is he?

Taxi? Whisked from under his nose. Plane? Delayed, then diverted, then cancelled. Train? The engine erupts in a pall of black smoke. Hired car? How about a crash followed by a fire?

Worse still, Neil is saddled with the company of Del (Candy), a fat and gabby salesman with whom he's forced to share double beds in motel rooms half-way across America.

There are some good laughs along their disaster-strewn route, and the sentimental ending works well, but the film lacks the myriad minor characters that might have helped the director push it along at a better pace.

Martin is marvellous, though, and Candy inspired (and, at the end, quite touching) in one of his best film roles.

Warning: the unabridged version contains a (very funny) scene containing a torrent of swearing. Those of a sensitive disposition may want to tune out when Neil tries to hire a car...