The Great Outdoors

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The Great Outdoors

PG

1988

1h 31m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

44%

Tomatometer

39 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

It's vacation time for outdoorsy Chicago man Chet Ripley (John Candy), along with his wife, Connie (Stephanie Faracy), and their two kids, Buck (Chris Young) and Ben (Ian Giatti). But a serene weekend of fishing at a Wisconsin lakeside cabin gets crashed by Connie's obnoxious brother-in-law, Roman Craig (Dan Aykroyd), his wife, Kate (Annette Bening), and the couple's two daughters. As the excursion wears on, the Ripleys find themselves at odds with the stuffy Craig family.

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Critics Consensus

Even with a pair of talented comedians trying their best, vacation-from-hell comedy The Great Outdoors is merely mediocre.

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Jay Carr

Boston Globe

Jun 16, 2023

In short, "The Great Outdoors" has the wit of "Summer Rental" and the sparkle of "Harry and the Hendersons."

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Martha K. Baker

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Jun 16, 2023

"The Great Outdoors" succeeds as a perfect summer's movie: not too deep, not too long, not too verbally witty or politically witty, not too embarrassing, not too sexy. Just a good time in air conditioning.

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Steve Dollar

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Jun 16, 2023

It's impossible to watch Candy and not laugh, even when the shtick is as stock as bear chases and bat combat.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

May 31, 2026

1.5/4

Puerile pablum notable only for marking the film debut of Annette Bening.

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Douglas Davidson

Elements of Madness

May 22, 2026

... a string of events mostly disconnected which serve, in their individual portions, to connect to a larger story of familial respect and the importance of communication.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Apr 4, 2026

3/5

‘…an agreeable lazy watch, even just for the impromptu dance-party at the end…’

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Nick B

@NickBtheHorrorOG 4 days ago

Fun old-school Dan Akeriod type of movie. John Candy is also obviously a legend.

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Jonathan O

@RT41230270 6 days ago

A fun cabin in the woods family comedy film and the log cabin from Universal Studios Hollywood is still there and living

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Paul B

@chandlerpjb1005 Aug 27, 2026

If you are from the Midwest and familiar with the Northwoods of Wisconsin this movie is a 10/10. It is hilarious and endlessly quotable. For many of those not familiar with the area some of the stuff may fall flat but I assure you they captured the yearly migration of Chicago and Illinois populace to the woods of the north perfectly and the setting is spot on to life in the Northwoods in the summer.

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Chris S

@Janomi Jul 19, 2026

The Great Outdoors is at its best when it lets John Candy carry the movie with warmth. Chet Ripley could have been just a loud, frustrated dad, but Candy makes him genuinely lovable. He gives the film its heart because Chet really does want to give his family a simple, memorable vacation, even as everything falls apart around him. Dan Aykroyd is a strong contrast as Roman, the smug, flashy, competitive brother-in-law who turns a peaceful cabin trip into a constant test of status and ego. The tension between Chet’s regular-guy decency and Roman’s show-off personality gives the movie its main comic conflict. The vacation-from-hell setup is simple but enjoyable, with bears, raccoons, water skiing, the giant steak challenge, bad weather, and outdoor chaos giving the film its rewatchable charm. The emotional material is not especially deep, but the cast chemistry and broad comedy make it a good, easygoing family comedy.

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Jason H

@RT50328122 Jun 8, 2026

It's painfully unfunny.

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Christopher C.

@PapaTangooo May 19, 2026

“BIG BEAR CHASE ME!”

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Howard Deutch

Director

Dan Aykroyd

Roman Craig

John Candy

Chet Ripley

Stephanie Faracy

Connie Ripley

Annette Bening

Kate Craig

Robert Prosky

Wally

The Great Outdoors: Official Clip - Big Bear Chase Me!

2:40

Now Playing

The Great Outdoors: Official Clip - Suck My Wake

2:53

Now Playing

The Great Outdoors: Official Clip - Chet and the Bald Bear

2:34

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The Great Outdoors: Official Clip - Horny the Bear

2:26

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The Great Outdoors: Official Clip - It All Starts to Ooze Out

2:54

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The Great Outdoors: Official Clip - He's on My Face!

2:05

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The Great Outdoors: Official Clip - Golf and Go-Karts

0:34

Now Playing

The Great Outdoors: Official Clip - Baiting the Bears

2:56

Now Playing

The Great Outdoors: Official Clip - Accidental Waterskiing

2:23

Now Playing

The Great Outdoors: Official Clip - The Old '96er

2:55

Now Playing

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Synopsis

It's vacation time for outdoorsy Chicago man Chet Ripley (John Candy), along with his wife, Connie (Stephanie Faracy), and their two kids, Buck (Chris Young) and Ben (Ian Giatti). But a serene weekend of fishing at a Wisconsin lakeside cabin gets crashed by Connie's obnoxious brother-in-law, Roman Craig (Dan Aykroyd), his wife, Kate (Annette Bening), and the couple's two daughters. As the excursion wears on, the Ripleys find themselves at odds with the stuffy Craig family.

Director: Howard Deutch
Producer: Arne Schmidt
Screenwriter: John Hughes
Production Co: Hughes Entertainment
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 18, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $37.3M
Runtime: 1h 31m
Sound Mix: Surround

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