Movie:
Summer Rental, originally released in 1985, was directed by Carl Reiner, and stars John Candy (Jack Chester), Karen Austin (Sandy Chester), Joey Lawrence (Bobby Chester), Rip Torn (Scully), and Richard Crenna (Captain Al).

Jack Chester is a burnout out air traffic controller who, after 13 years, is finally taking a vacation with his family. They head off to the beaches of Florida and rent a house. When they get there though, Jack encounters mishap after mishap. When the landlord suddenly dies, the house is transferred to Captain Al, who has won the local regatta for the past seven years. Captain Al, who Jack pissed off when he ran a rental boat into his, kicks them out. To get the house back and prolong his family's vacation, Jack challenges Al in the regatta - if he wins, he can stay an extra two weeks, rent free, and if he loses, he pays the rent and leaves.

I really enjoy most of John Candy's movies, and I was looking forward to seeing Summer Rental. Sadly, the movie offers nothing new, as it is filled with quite a few clichés. But Candy saves the film somewhat with quite a few humorous moments, making the film bearable. However, I can't see myself seeing this one again anytime soon; once was enough for a while.

Picture:
Summer Rental is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The transfer is overly soft in some parts, which interferes with some of the detail. Colors are vibrant for the most part, though they occasionally look a bit muted. Flesh tones are natural most of the time, though occasionally, they seem a bit too orange. Blacks are decent. Grain is also common, and in some scenes, it's almost overwhelming. There are also a few specks in the print. However, I was generally surprised at how good the print looked, considering its age.

Sound:
Summer Rental is presented in Dolby Mono 1.0 in English and French. Dialogue throughout is clean and easy to understand, though a bit thin in places. Optional English captions are also included.

Extras:
The only extra is the film's trailer.

Summary:
Paramount's DVD delivers an average picture and passable sound. This coupled with a high MSRP and virtually no extras makes this one better suited to rent for those who enjoy Candy's films.