Summer Rental (1985)

“Hey mate! Good to see you. What can I get ya?” … “How about drunk.” Burnt-out, chain-smoking air traffic controller “Jack Chester” (the late, great John Candy) takes his family to the beach (“Citrus Cove,” Florida!) in what turns out to be the vacation from hell – they meet a pirate named “Scully” (Rip Torn) and race obnoxious Ted Turner wannabe “Al Pellet” (Richard Crenna) in the annual Summer Regatta. Who can forget the scene where Jack and Al fight over the last remaining lobster in the tank at the seafood restaurant? The crowd of beachgoers rampaging through the rental home? Or Jack hoisting his huge pair of pants to gain an advantage in the sailboat race? Directed by Carl Reiner, this low-key comedy also stars Karen Austin, Kerri Green, Joey Lawrence, Richard Herd and John Larroquette. If you go into this thing with fairly low expectations, you’re bound to have a good time! Summer Rental features Jimmy Buffett’s tune “Turning Around,” which has never been released as a single or on one of his albums: “Sometimes I feel like a propeller/Spin spin out of control …”

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