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.
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.