If ever there was a documentary tailor-made to launch the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, “John Candy: I Like Me” fit the bill. Directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, the Prime Video feature is a warm and affectionate salute to one of Canada’s most beloved comedic actors and national treasure. Candy was born, raised, and launched his career in Toronto, making this doc a posthumous homecoming three decades after his untimely death in 1994.

The doc opens on an emotional note at Candy’s funeral before rewinding to his early years in Toronto. We see the roots of a performer who loved football more than hockey, caught the acting bug at the city’s Children’s Theatre, and struck up a lifelong friendship with Dan Aykroyd while the two were just starting to make waves on Toronto’s popular SCTV. Aykroyd’s eulogy tells us all we really need to know about how Candy moved through the world: “There’s a word in our language we don’t hear much anymore, but it applies to John Candy. The word is grand. He was a grand man. This is no meager life we reflect on today. This is as full of life that any human can live.”

The documentary moves through Candy’s career with a who’s who of collaborators and admirers. His son Christopher, daughter Jennifer, and widow Rose recall family memories that shows us who Candy was as a person off camera. Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, and Conan O’Brien also share stories from their time in the acting trenches with Candy. Through all the interviews, a portrait of Candy emerges as a man whose warmth and generosity matched his comedic gifts. Archival clips capture Candy at his most genuine, showing the person behind the performer who valued family more than fame.

Hanks packs the film with clips from Candy’s body of work, spanning SCTV, “Splash,” “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” “Uncle Buck,” and more. You almost forget just how good Candy was. But as soon as the clips start, you’re reminded why Candy was so brilliant, and you’re almost tempted to hit pause on the doc just to go watch a full movie. 

The doc isn’t all warm and fuzzy, as Hank’s doesn’t shy away from Candy’s struggles with alcohol and weight. Candy was well aware of how others saw him, and at times he felt Hollywood favored him when he was larger, which only encouraged indulgence. But seeing Candy respond to unthinkable questions and comments about his weight during interviews, you could tell he carried hurt and frustration with the industry’s narrow view of him.

The doc also acknowledges that some titles, like “Stripes,” haven’t aged perfectly. Through interviews with his co-stars, it’s clear Candy held on to embarrassment over some scenes, yet he could still remain proud of his overall work. 

At times, the doc lingers too long on talking heads, but the parade of familiar faces and heartfelt stories keeps it moving along. “John Candy: I Like Me” is a warm, funny, and occasionally bittersweet celebration of a true original. It’s a nostalgic trip down memory lane wrapped in a well-deserved love letter. “John Candy: I Like Me” premieres on Prime Video on October 10.

See more TIFF coverage from mixyplix here.