Only the Lonely (1991)

Chris Columbus' Only the Lonely is memorable if for no other reason than it attempts to make John Candy into a viable romantic lead. He does not have conventional sex appeal, but Candy does communicate a basic goodness and kindness as Danny Muldoon that helps make this familiar story more palatable than one might expect. The relationship between Danny and his mother could easily devolve into bathos in the hands of lazy actors, but Candy and Maureen O'Hara pull it off. They are familiar "types" to be sure, but they bring some nice color to a paint-by-numbers story structure. There is little that is original about the film, but this is one of those instances where solid casting and fine performances outweigh the inherent banality of the plot and the characters. Anyone who enjoys old-fashioned romances will have a good time with Only the Lonely. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide