Only the Lonely (1991)

"Just telling it like it is, ma."

Director
Chris Columbus

Cast
John Candy - Danny Muldoon
Maureen O'Hara - Rose Muldoon
Ally Sheedy - Theresa Luna
Anthony Quinn - Nick Acropolis
Kevin Dunn - Patrick Muldoon
James Belushi - Sal Buonarte
Macaulay Culkin - Billy Muldoon
Kieran Culkin - Patrick Muldoon Jr.

Trying to get a copy of the 1991 John Hughes romantic comedy movie "Only the Lonely" is strangely difficult. In fact, it's nearly impossible.

DVD copies sell for close to $100. It's not streaming on any service at the time I write this. Nor is it free with ads, or available to rent, on YouTube.  

"Only the Lonely" is no small movie. It stars John Candy in certainly one of his best performances. The movie also stars veteran actress Maureen O'Hara whose part was written specifically for her. She retired from acting in 1971 after appearing in the movie "Big Jake." However, O'Hara returned to acting just for this movie. So, "Only the Lonely" is her last film appearance. She delivers a performance so effortless it feels like she never left.

It also stars Ally Sheedy, James Belushi, Anthony Quinn, features a cameo from Macauley Culkin, and is directed by Chris Columbus. Again, this is no small movie. Nor is it a comedic flop. So, it's a wonder why it isn't available on DVD while movies like "The Garbage Pail Kids Movie" is readily available. The industry is backwards, for sure!

I've wanted to grab a copy of this for a while without having to spend a three-digit figure. So, despite my better judgement, I resorted to sneaking down a dark, dank back-alley behind Chow Fun's Chinese Cuisine to meet a shady fellow calling himself Rick "No Questions" Delgado and his sidekick "Cash‑Only" Carl, both of whom work for a guy called "Vlad the Retailer," to purchase a bootleg copy of "Only the Lonely."

I wasn't willing to go higher than $20 so that's what I paid. It's still too much, but a critic has got to do what a critic has got to do. I've said too much already.

Anyways, on the bright side, I now own a copy of "Only the Lonely" and you don't!

So, in this movie, John Candy plays Chicago police officer Danny Muldoon. He's a 38-year-old bachelor who's still living in his boy-hood home with his mom, Rose (Maureen O'Hara). She's quite the Irish Catholic woman who has a way of dominating Danny's life. 

John Candy and Marueen O'Hara in "Only the Lonely."

Since his father passed away years before, the duty to carry the family forward fell on Danny's shoulders. 

He somehow managed to get his brother, Patrick (Kevin Dunn) through Law School. And Patrick, who's married with kids (Macaulay Culkin and Kieran Culkin), wants Danny to remain single, take care of their mother and move her and himself to Florida for her sake. 

This surfaces when Danny meets Theresa (Ally Sheedy) after spotting her at a local Irish pub when two Irish guys carry a corpse in for one last drink with the deceased. 

She's with the funeral director who follows after the two guys to bring the corpse back to the funeral home,

Danny is interested in her at first sight. So, he stops by the funeral home later with hopes to talk to her and ask her out. 

She agrees to go out with him, and in no time, a romance buds rather beautifully. However, his mother doesn't quite approve of Theresa, especially since she's not Irish like they are. She's Italian/ Polish - not that it should matter. After an uncomfortable "meet my mom" dinner at a nice restaurant which doesn't last past the main entrees, things get real between Danny and Theresa. 

She objects to Danny's constant fear that something terrible might happen to his mother which gets in the way of his life as he feels he has to be constantly protecting her while she manipulates him. Theresa decides to let Danny go. 

Loaded with heartbreak and considerations over how he needs to change his priorities, he has trouble telling his mother that he needs to live his life and she needs to finally care for herself. 

The story is rather simple but loaded with a lot of humor and emotion. The importance and need for a person to have a family of their own is the key takeaway of this movie. It's one I certainly can get behind.

John Candy's performance is fantastic. As his previous movies are comedic, I don't know of any other John Candy movie in which he takes a romantic lead on top of his comedy. And being that it's a romantic role, he doesn't overplay the comedy. He lets it come naturally so audiences can relate. 

Candy plays the apprehensive type who's more hopeful than determined to win Theresa's affection. Ally Sheedy plays off this performance as the shy and self-doubting type, until she comes out as a strong character who knows what sort of leading man she wants in her life. 

While I admit Sheedy and Candy seem like an unlikely couple, they make it work. Their chemistry develops through the movie. That can certainly be said of many true-to-life relationships.

One seen I objected to sees Danny sneaking Theresa into his house, and into his bedroom for a night of "romance." 

John Candy and Ally Sheedy.

Being a Catholic and having a devoutly Catholic Irish mother who's staying over at Patrick's for the evening, he knows having sex before marriage is a grave sin. When the two head up to Danny's bedroom and start to get romantic, Danny spots his statue of Jesus on his dresser. In what's supposed to be a funny scene, he tosses his police hat over the statue to avoid that guilty feeling. It's supposed to be endearing. It's not. It could have been left out. 

Otherwise, "Only the Lonely" is a movie that doesn't deserve to be out-of-print, or unavailable all together. It's a fun movie and John Candy in a romantic lead role is a rarity. It's John Candy at his absolute enjoyable best.

Even in a romantic lead, John Candy is true to his comedic form. He's dramatic when he needs to be, and convincingly so. He can deliver lines with just enough emotion that doesn't ham up the scene. He delivers his charm plus some goofball humor. He's funny and sympathetic at the same time. His comedic timing with just the right emotion in the proper dosage seems almost flawless. This plays off so well as Sheedy's character loves the charm but she's smart enough to know she needs a man who will put her first. 

Hands down, this has to be one of Candy's best performances, if not the best. 

And Maureen O'Hara's performance is as though she hadn't left acting twenty years before. She takes on the role with a natural ease. I mean, this is an actress who has appeared in some of the biggest movies - "Miracle on 34th Street," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "The Quiet Man," "Rio Grande," "The Parent Trap," and "Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation" to drop a few titles. Her acting is so so fluid and unforced. She gives her last performance her all, clearly. Her character Rose is really memorable. Rose's personality is a bit staunch and a little abrasive, though still motherly. She's not completely unlikeable or too harsh. Despite her obvious flaws, there's still a redeeming quality shining through, hidden by her hard shell. 

O'Hara drives the emotional conflict of the entire story, and blends well with John Candy. It's an underrated performance, indeed. 

It's a shame "Only the Lonely" is nearly a neglected romantic comedy. It has a lot going for it, and above all, is an entertaining worthwhile comedy - a gem among such movies that's worth finding...if you can.