Too American - Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) Discussion

[–] liscarkat (18596) 5 years ago

Everything is too American, especially America, which is really incredibly too American. Oh, if only I were one of the lucky people who get to live in the Superior Countries. I guess I'll just have to get by over here where it's too American.

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[–] TandyMan (11120) 5 years ago

I think the real legs for this movie come from the fact it was such a tv staple for so long during the holiday season, and of course, good old nostalgia. With an extra helping of fondness for a beloved actor dead too soon.

Can't speak for global appeal, but I do think this movie is a real time capsule for American travel in the 80s. That appeal probably is pretty niche. The understated comedy, which builds up for long minutes to only occasionally funny scenes, is certainly not typical for the genre either. You're definitely gonna get more mileage out of a flick like Tommy Boy if you're in it just for the laughs.

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[–] Heisenberg (6730) 5 years ago

I wasn't in it just for the laughs, but seeing the stars in it I expected more lol moments and certainly no melancoly nor sap. Also, like I said, I must have missed the spirit of the movie, which is based on this specific holiday, which has a very specific flavor to it that is only for America.
Sivagish posted below here that it translates as a Christmas movie elsewhere.
That's a totally different flavor in my opinion, with Jesus, the presents, Santa, etc.
It's like comparing Easter and Christmas: similar but very different.
I think thanksgiving for an American has A LOT to do with how bittersweet this movie is.

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[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

its a "travelling home" movie, forget which public holiday it translates to in your country and face it:
You have no sense of humour.

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[–] Heisenberg (6730) 5 years ago

What a precious analysis, you really nailed it mark. Why not a "go watch Transformers" retort?

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[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Heisenberg (6730) 5 years ago

I agree with the travel and the reuinion, they could be similar in appearance but it's a totally different flavor in my opinion, with Jesus, the presents, Santa, etc.
It's like comparing Easter and Christmas: similar but very different.
I think thanksgiving for an American has A LOT to do with how bittersweet this movie is.
Christmas is not bittersweet, if anything it's joyful/spiritual.
There's nothing spiritual about thanksgiving.
This movie reflects that holiday's flavor.

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8760) 5 years ago

I think a lot of people would disagree about there's nothing spiritual about Thanksgiving. Who do you think the original participants were giving thanks to?

My dad (a Christian) definitely sees Thanksgiving as a spiritual holiday, as it is the time we give thanks to God for his blessings.

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[–] HelpMeRhonda (1158) 5 years ago

To say the movie is too American to be fully appreciated anywhere else is too broad of a statement to be true. Surely this movie is appreciated by someone outside of a movie. Maybe the humor just wasn’t your cup of tea.

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[–] wearsalan (5554) 5 years ago

I live in the UK and love this movie.
It's irrelevant what holiday it is as far as I'm concerned.

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[–] peterkneter (383) 5 years ago

absolutely. goes well for Germany too. Its about Dad trying to come home and the traffic is a mess.
I absulutely can see it happen in Germany too... often I see me in the same trouble.
And of course it is nostalgica too. I love it.

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[–] maixiu (2272) 5 years ago

All right, Alan, you just redeemed yourself mightily in my book. This is just about a perfect movie for me and the nostalgia factor is ramped up because chunks of it were filmed in my neck of the woods.

Cobra Kai.... SAY IT!

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[–] wearsalan (5554) 5 years ago

Never dies!

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[–] Kowalski (76313) 5 years ago

ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES.NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE YOU EITHER APPRECIATE IT OR YOU DONT.

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[–] Heisenberg (6730) 5 years ago

I don't, but I give you a valid reason.
I guess you should try to watch some Chinese family drama and see if you relate...

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[–] Kowalski (76313) 5 years ago

I HAVE,I DONT.

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[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Sorry I just can't get into tv shows where families eat dog, abort their more than one kid and hunt animals to extinction for a chance at a bigger pecker.

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[–] chilidoggg (14327) 5 years ago

I want to binge watch that!

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[–] Heisenberg (6730) 5 years ago

I know Hollywood is waaaay to PC and is kissing china's ass now, but that setup would make a smashing show!

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[–] brux (14736) 5 years ago

I was bucking the trend to be cut-throat and vicious at the time, sort of how things are now. I think that is why people like it, it doesn't provoke arguments.

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8760) 5 years ago

I actually JUST ordered the PT&A DVD for my dad a few days ago and then immediately went to Best Buy and picked up a Blu-Ray copy for myself. I got tired of the runaround with trying to find it on TV and/or streaming every year and decided to nip that shit in the bud, because this film IS TOO GOOD NOT TO WATCH every Thanksgiving.

I think it's fucking hilarious. Take, for instance, the entire scene with Owen and his wife when they were trying to get to the train station.

"She's skinny, but she's strong. Her first baby come out sideways. She didn't scream or nothing."

*girl slams door*

Makes me laugh every time! Or how about this exchange:

Del: You play with your balls a lot!

Neal: I do NOT play with my balls.

Del: Are you kidding? Larry bird doesn't do as much ball handling in a night as you do in an hour!

As you can see, I also think the film is very quotable. But really, I love everything about it. It's a shame you find it "too American" to enjoy.

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[–] maixiu (2272) 5 years ago

You know what would make me happy?

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8760) 5 years ago

Let me guess. . .

Another couple of balls, and an extra set of fingers?

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[–] maixiu (2272) 5 years ago

Oh, that's real humorous!

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[–] johnnydinkis2 (9) 5 years ago

So what you're really saying is that non-Americans are too dumb to be able to understand a guy wanting to get home to his family in time for a holiday? Not sure I agree with that.

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[–] Heisenberg (6730) 5 years ago

No, I'm saying that non americans don't know what's the specific flavor of thanksgiving AT ALL.
Like, no fucking idea.
And this movie has a lot to do about that specific flavor, it's not Christmas, it's not Easter, it's not the 4th of july, it's not Monkey day.
So it's not just "a guy wanting to get home in time for A HOLIDAY".

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[–] wearsalan (5554) 5 years ago

A specific flavour....like when families get together.....like say Christmas and Easter.
You see you don't have to be American to get that. You also don't have to be American to find it hilarious.
Know what I mean?

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[–] Heisenberg (6730) 5 years ago

Ok, to all the geniuses out there that don't see or don't want to see what I mean (or better, don't want to admit that I'm damn right):
how many times have you or any of your family member skipped spending together Christmas or Easter?
Was it such a big deal that it happened? Or did you just said "hey Mom, I'm gonna be in ---exotic location--- for the holidays, see ya later/next year" with nobody even caring?
Well, afaik, thanksgiving is a moment that american families MUST spend together or it just feels WRONG, like somebody has died.
Argument 2:
being together, since there's nothing really else behind this holiday other than being with your family (there's no Jesus, no santa, no holy spirit, no nothing), kinda brings out the best and the worst in people, and there's a lot of "shit, I'm gonna have to see uncle x again after he did this and that". So, there's a lot of that "being together at all costs, even if we don't really want to".
So it's a bittersweet day. I don't know of any holidays in Europe like that.
Are you people getting my point?
This movie would work on another holiday as much as any Christmas movie would work on thanksgiving, like Da Gubernator having to get that toy to his kid for thanksgiving in "turkey all the way"...

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[–] wearsalan (5554) 5 years ago

No, the problem here is you don't get it. Your premise being that it is too American. It has nothing to do with other people not seeing what you mean or even (better?) admit you are right. Saying it is too American is simply YOUR opinion. The board in general (unfortunately for you ) disagrees. I'm from the UK and I get it. How does that make me wrong and you right, or vice versa?

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[–] Heisenberg (6730) 5 years ago

Ok wearsalan, I agree with you on one point: it's not about being right or wrong, I didn't phrase it correctly.
My other points are still valid (I didn't just say "it's too American", I have plentifully argumented my opinion), so please respond to all my other topics and disregard the fact that I am right or you are right or whatever, that's not appropriate so I take it back.

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[–] wearsalan (5554) 5 years ago

Fair enough

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8760) 5 years ago

Well, afaik, thanksgiving is a moment that american families MUST spend together or it just feels WRONG, like somebody has died.

I go home for Christmas. I do not go home for Thanksgiving. I think that most Americans, if given the choice, would choose Christmas. Reading through your responses in this thread, I do feel like I have to concur with your earlier statement: It is true that you do not really understand Thanksgiving.

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[–] Heisenberg (6730) 5 years ago

LOL, nor this movie...

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[–] Noufa (398) 4 years ago

I think you have a point about the movie being very American.

But Prime Minister is right about this. 1st year college students often have to decide whether to return home during Thanksgiving or Christmas break. Most choose Christmas, if only because Thanksgiving break is so short. I've heard Thanksgiving described as a more laid back version of Christmas. There's none of the pressure to get presents. And it's always on Thursday so that it doesn't overlap with pious Sunday rituals.

The tension in the movie isn't so much about Neal trying to get home for Thanksgiving. It's about Neal trying to get away from Del. Neal is a WASP snob. He's more stylish, more reserved, more literate & less obese. I'd almost say it's about class but I never thought Del was poor. He's an outstanding salesman & seems to have business contacts everywhere. He chooses life on the road because it's less lonely.

Trading Places is more relatable because it's just a modern retelling of The Prince & the Pauper. That sort of economic class exists everywhere.

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8760) 5 years ago

I don't really feel like, ultimately, the film has much to do with Thanksgiving specifically. It really could be any holiday where families come together annually. This could definitely be a Christmas film with a few dialogue tweaks.

But as for Thanksgiving, all you need to know is that the holiday is about being thankful for what you have and that it has its roots in the earliest American settlers who organized celebrations to give thanks to God. The actual history has become muddled over the years, but that's the basic idea. Canada also has a Thanksgiving Day.

But the thing about PT&A is that it's just about GETTING HOME for Thanksgiving. We don't see much at all of the actual celebration of the holiday. So if the Thanksgiving overlay really trips you up in terms of the enjoyment of the film, just think of it as a Christmas movie or equate with some similar local holiday.

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[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Do you travel during holidays? Have you traveled in general (I assume you have).

It's awful. Movies like Home Alone and Tommyboy also highlight the issue of traveling to get to a point of interest. Home alone focuses on holiday travel and Tommyboy focuses on travel in general. Thanksgiving is a great setup for this because the most travel happens on that day. You may not appreciate Thanksgiving, but it has a lot of significance in the States and Canada. It's the day we set aside to appreciate our family and friends before the long winter. Historically, it's very important since the settlers didn't have all the resources to survive. Winter was a death sentence. At this time, we put aside our differences to say thanks.

If that doesn't suit your taste, don't worry about it. You don't live here.

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