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Poster for The Great Outdoors

The Great Outdoors

Seen it?

1988 | 91 min | Comedy

Weeknight Watch

Why it’s a Weeknight Watch

It's still drawing plenty of interest, but just 44% on Rotten Tomatoes held it back. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved Planes, Trains and Automobiles, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
The mood
Light and funny.
The pace
Breezy, at 1 hr 31 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
  • Critics were cooler on it than audiences.

It's vacation time for outdoorsy Chicago man Chet Ripley, along with his wife, Connie, and their two kids, Buck and Ben. But a serene weekend of fishing at a Wisconsin lakeside cabin gets crashed by Connie's obnoxious brother-in-law, Roman Craig, his wife, Kate, and the couple's two daughters. As the excursion wears on, the Ripleys find themselves at odds with the stuffy Craig family.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsWeak

    44% on Rotten Tomatoes, 24 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    6.5 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Box office & staying powerSolid

    $43 million worldwide on a $24 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 230K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Howard Deutch

  • Dan AykroydRoman Craig
  • John CandyChet Ripley
  • Stephanie FaracyConnie Ripley
  • Annette BeningKate Craig
  • Chris YoungBuck Ripley
  • Lucy DeakinsCammie
  • Robert ProskyWally
  • Ian GiattiBen Ripley
  • Hilary GordonCara Craig
  • Rebecca GordonMara Craig