Review of Delirious (2007) by Salvador D — 12 Dec 2013

For as great a comedian as John Candy was, it's really disappointing how few good leading roles he was given. SCTV was brilliant, "Uncle Buck" and "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" were good but not classics, and what's left are all pretty mediocre films and a series of supporting parts ranging to terrific ("Splash," "Vacation" or even "JFK") to a waste of his time ("Career Opportunities" or "Boris and Natasha").

Much like his roles in the equally terrible "Hot to Trot" or "Who's Harry Crumb?" John Candy is a whole lot better than this film. About this film in particular, Candy is a soap opera writer who finds himself living in his soap opera world after a blow to the head.

It's not a terribly clever idea, but there were possibilities for decent comedy with the premiss, but this film feels much more like a weak sitcom. Candy is not the only actor who's talents were wasted in this film.

You've got Mariel Hemingway, Emma Samms, Raymond Burr, Charles Rocket (who's another actor I thought never really go the parts he deserved, outside of his role as David Addison's brother on "Moonlighting"), David Rasche, Jerry Orbach, and uncredited appearances by Margot Kidder and Robert Wagner.

With that cast, this film should have been a whole lot more fun and funny. However, it's the likability of the cast that keeps the film bearable, even if they don't not making you laugh.