The Best Buddy Comedy Ever Made Lands a New Streaming Home Just in Time for Thanksgiving
The film long regarded as a Thanksgiving essential by Roger Ebert is back for streaming. John Hughes’s classic buddy comedy Planes, Trains and Automobiles has found a new home on Paramount+, offering viewers another chance to enjoy one of the most beloved holiday comedies ever made.
Starring John Candy and Steve Martin, this Thanksgiving favorite joins other new arrivals on the platform such as Catch Me If You Can, Saturday Night Fever, and Hughes’s own Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Story and Characters
The film follows Neal Page, a businessman whose attempt to return home to Chicago for Thanksgiving turns into a series of chaotic detours. His stress is heightened by the presence of Del Griffith, an endlessly talkative shower curtain ring salesman who becomes his reluctant travel companion.
“Easily excitable Neal Page (Steve Martin) is somewhat of a control freak. Trying to get home to Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with his wife (Laila Robins) and kids, his flight is rerouted to a distant city in Kansas because of a freak snowstorm, and his sanity begins to fray. Worse yet, he is forced to bunk up with talkative Del Griffith (John Candy), whom he finds extremely annoying. Together they must overcome the insanity of holiday travel to reach their intended destination.”
A Standout in Hughes’ Career
Released during the height of John Hughes’s career, Planes, Trains and Automobiles represented a shift from his trademark teen-focused stories toward more mature, character-driven comedy. The film remains a heartfelt and sharply funny reflection on frustration, friendship, and the chaos of holiday travel.
Author’s Summary
This Thanksgiving, Hughes’s enduring comedy Planes, Trains and Automobiles returns on Paramount+, inviting fans to relive its warmth, wit, and timeless travel misadventures.