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‘Planes, Trains, and Automobiles’ With Bill Simmons and Van Lathan

November 29, 2022 · Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) · Comedy · Drama · 1:33:19

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 23:48Neal has a home but chooses not to go there because it reminds him of his wife - he just moves around avoiding home

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 38:36Tom Hanks — Tom Hanks was discussed as a possibility but was probably too youthful at the time - maybe Tom Hanks in seven years could have done it. Few actors could pull off being the everyman who's kind of a dick but still likeable due to career baggage.
Van Lathan▶ 38:59Steve Martin — Agreed Tom Hanks was too youthful and hadn't shown his harder edge yet (before A League of Their Own). Steve Martin had a unique ability to look older than his age and could be both the clown and adult in the room simultaneously.

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:37the deleted scene of him eating a hot dog while smoking the cigarette
Van Lathan▶ 1:01:48the doritos paired with the tequila in the room when they're raiding the mini bar

Den of Thieves Benihana Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:02:08Says there's no scene stealing locations because it's all everyman territory with characters moving around, doesn't provide a specific pick

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:03:07The wife character and the family connection in general - lack of scenes showing him connecting with his family
Van Lathan▶ 1:03:41Agrees about the wife character, noting the actress had her story cut from the movie

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:59All the 1987 travel stuff - cigarette smoking everywhere, no cell phones, no apps, no Uber/Lyft, no Airbnb, traveling in suits, showing up 2 minutes before flights, no way to exchange contact info
Van Lathan▶ 1:04:28The traveling salesman job itself has aged the worst

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:07:25her first baby come out sideways she didn't scream or nothing

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:09:33John Candy doesn't get the respect he deserves for his place in comedy history - he's at like 85-88% when he should be at 100%
Van Lathan▶ 1:09:54John Candy was the most enduring of the three physical comedians (Belushi, Farley, Candy) from a body of work standpoint

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:54Dylan Baker — Dylan Baker as Gus's son
Van Lathan▶ 1:12:46Dylan Baker — Dylan Baker as Gus's son

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:59Steve Martin — Says no to Steve Martin's apex mountain being this movie, suggests it was late 70s when The Jerk came out when he was the biggest comedian in the world
Van Lathan▶ 1:17:52John Candy — Uncle Buck for John Candy - says that's his apex mountain because he's carrying everything in that movie

Racehorse Name Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:51braidwood

Picking Nits

Bill Simmons▶ 1:20:09Neil's inconsistent money situation - willing to pay $75 for a cab but won't get his own hotel room; could have driven the burnt car but upholstery would be 130 degrees; they would have died of frostbite in the convertible; confusion about John Candy's black eye origin; not lost long enough for it to be a big ordeal - only 48 hours from Tuesday to Thursday
Van Lathan▶ 1:22:05Neil's confusing money situation throughout the movie; St. Louis to Chicago is only 4-4.5 hours but they act like it's a 12-hour drive and much more time passes than should have; Neil punches Dell in deleted scenes which would fundamentally change the dynamic

Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake

Bill Simmons▶ 1:24:49Untouchable, but could be talked into all black cast remake
Van Lathan▶ 1:24:46Untouchable - can't go back on it now

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:27:16Steve Buscemi — Steve Buscemi - belongs in this movie
Van Lathan▶ 1:27:22Steve Buscemi — Steve Buscemi - he definitely has a place in this movie somewhere

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:27:29John Candy — Candy (John Candy for acting) or maybe the screenplay
Van Lathan▶ 1:27:34John Candy — Candy (John Candy for acting)

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:28:28Planes, Trains & Automobiles — Vacation and Planes Trains and Automobiles
Van Lathan▶ 1:28:41Planes, Trains & Automobiles — Planes Trains and Automobiles followed by Christmas Vacation as a Thanksgiving-Christmas double feature

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:29:57don't ever put your wallet in the glove compartment
Van Lathan▶ 1:30:03always ask about somebody's trauma

Who Won the Movie

Van Lathan▶ 1:30:33John Candy

Movies Referenced (31)

Uncle Buck (1989)

17 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 10:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tommy Boy (1995)

7 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 8:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Midnight Run (1988)

6 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 8:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Great Outdoors (1988)

6 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 10:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Home Alone (1990)

5 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 24:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

4 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 1:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Summer Rental (1985)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 11:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dumb and Dumber (1994)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 8:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Saturday Night (2024)

2 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 1:14:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Total Recall (1990)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 1:15:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

A League of Their Own (1992)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 39:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Boogie Nights (1997)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:33:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (2)

John Hughes

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Breakfast Club▶ 7:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mike Nichols

1 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for The Graduate▶ 52:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (16)

Steve Martin

22 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for The Jerk, The Pink Panther▶ 2:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Candy

8 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, Spaceballs▶ 2:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Hart

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Central Intelligence▶ 1:14:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dylan Baker

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Revolutionary Road▶ 29:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Larry Bird

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Space Jam, Celtic Pride, Blue Chips▶ 53:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ben Stein

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Mask▶ 1:12:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Charlie Sheen

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Wall Street▶ 1:19:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Farley

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Tommy Boy, Black Sheep▶ 1:10:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Idris Elba

1 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 1:27:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Bacon

1 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for Footloose, Hollow Man▶ 5:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kurt Andon

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for 15 Minutes▶ 1:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Martin Neil

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗