The Great Outdoors
A family’s idyllic Wisconsin cabin holiday turns into a boisterous contest of endurance when intrusive relatives and unruly wildlife derail the getaway.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- breezy
- witty
- boisterous
- lazy weekend
- family movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly viewed the film as a mediocre vacation comedy whose talented leads and occasional set pieces could not overcome weak energy and crass material.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Ripley family's peaceful Wisconsin getaway is repeatedly disrupted by unwanted guests, leeches, raccoons, and a bear.
Chet's family vacation is invaded by his high-rolling brother-in-law Roman and the Craig family.
The idyllic Wisconsin woods and cabin become the source of leeches, raccoons, and bear-related disasters.
The film emphasizes vacation peril, outdoor accidents, and comic set pieces such as John Candy's water-skiing sequence.
Films like The Great Outdoors, and why
National Lampoon's Vacation
family vacation comedy built around escalating outdoor mishaps and a clash between relatives
Uncle Buck
1980s ensemble comedy pairing broad humor with contentious family dynamics during a getaway
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
John Candy-led warm-hearted comedy featuring domestic chaos, eccentric personalities, and physical gags
Movie Details
- Director
- Howard Deutch
- Release Date
- 1988-06-17
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (643)
Cast
- Dan Aykroyd
- John Candy
- Stephanie Faracy
- Annette Bening
- Chris Young
- Lucy Deakins
- Robert Prosky
- Ian Giatti
- Hilary Gordon
- Rebecca Gordon
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Philo, YouTube TV, Netflix Standard with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Great Outdoors about?
- A family’s idyllic Wisconsin cabin holiday turns into a boisterous contest of endurance when intrusive relatives and unruly wildlife derail the getaway.
- What is The Great Outdoors like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Great Outdoors as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is The Great Outdoors violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Great Outdoors as mild.
- What did critics think of The Great Outdoors?
- Critics broadly viewed the film as a mediocre vacation comedy whose talented leads and occasional set pieces could not overcome weak energy and crass material.
- Which films are like The Great Outdoors?
- Films with a similar feel include National Lampoon's Vacation, Uncle Buck, and Planes, Trains & Automobiles.
- How long is The Great Outdoors?
- The Great Outdoors runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Great Outdoors?
- In United States, The Great Outdoors streams on Netflix, Philo, YouTube TV, Netflix Standard with Ads.
