Movie Life Lessons: Planes, Trains, & Automobiles - Count Your Blessings
A Thanksgiving Tradition
My wife and eldest daughter were diving into Netflix’s Hallmark-style holiday rom-coms when I decided to introduce my younger daughter, Vivienne, to a different kind of holiday movie.
When I suggested watching a Thanksgiving film, she asked, “Is that even a thing?”
“Yes, for this one great movie.”
Vivienne was already a Steve Martin fan thanks to Father of the Bride and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and while she knew less about John Candy, she’d enjoyed his antics in Uncle Buck. I couldn’t resist showing her the quintessential Thanksgiving movie—Planes, Trains, & Automobiles.
Planes, Trains, & Automobiles is more than a road trip comedy—it’s a story about gratitude, human connection, and finding the good in unexpected places.
Planes, Trains, & Automobiles is rated R and stars comedy legends Steve Martin and the late great John Candy, with direction by the also late great John Hughes, the genius behind The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Despite its modest $30 million budget, the film earned $47 million at the box office, but its true value lies in its heart, humor, and timeless Thanksgiving message which forms the basis for today’s
Movie Life Lesson: Count Your Blessings.
But first, the story of the movie…
The Story: Chaos, Comedy, and Connection
Neil Page (Steve Martin) is a tightly wound marketing executive trying to get from New York to Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with his family. From the moment he steps outside to hail a cab, everything goes hilariously wrong.
First, Neil loses a footrace to another commuter (a cameo by Kevin Bacon) and trips over a massive suitcase—a suitcase that keeps reappearing in his misadventures. Neil’s frustrations escalate when he finally spots his stolen cab … and its owner, Del Griffith (John Candy), a cheerful, talkative shower curtain ring salesman.
At the airport, Neil and Del end up on the same flight, but a snowstorm cancels it, stranding them. With no hotels available, Del offers to share his cheap motel room with Neil. Thus begins their long, winding journey home—a comedy of errors featuring burned-out rental cars, single-bed motel rooms, and two clashing personalities stuck together.
Del is a walking disaster as a travel companion, but Neil isn’t much better—his impatience and condescending attitude make him just as insufferable. Yet, through all the chaos, their partnership grows into something genuine.
What are your holiday travel plans this Thanksgiving?
Do you have any travel SNAFU horror stories?
Have you ever found yourself stuck at the airport, flight canceled or missed? Maybe you walked into a hotel room that was, shall we say, less than five stars?
Or maybe you burned up all your credit cards in a car fire (I hope not!)
What do you do when your well-laid plans go awry?
Movie Life Lessons
Count Your Blessings
Neil starts off consumed by what’s going wrong. By the end, he’s reminded of all he has: a loving family, a warm home, and a bond with Del that he never saw coming. Gratitude shifts your perspective, even in life’s messiest moments.The phrase count your blessings traces back to the Christian hymn by Johnson Oatman Jr. in 1897, encouraging gratitude by focusing on life’s positives as gifts from God. Over time, it’s become an everyday reminder to appreciate what you have, even in tough times. Few movies embody this sentiment better than the 1987 classic, Planes, Trains, & Automobiles.
Cooperate to Overcome Obstacles
Neil and Del only make progress when they work together—sharing resources, driving shifts, and putting aside their differences. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on how much we rely on others to navigate life’s challenges.Look Beyond First Impressions
Neil initially sees Del as an annoying, bumbling fool. But Del’s heart, humor, and kindness win him over. The movie reminds us to dig deeper and offer grace—we might be surprised by what we find.
The Twist Ending
The final scene of Planes, Trains, & Automobiles is what elevates the film from a hilarious holiday comedy to a deeply poignant classic. It’s a twist ending that sits comfortably alongside the likes of Fight Club and The Usual Suspects—a revelation so powerful it reshapes everything you thought you knew about the story.
Throughout the movie, Del Griffith, played by John Candy, comes across as a lovable but exasperating travel companion. His endless anecdotes, quirky habits, and obliviousness to social cues test Neil Page’s patience at every turn. But as the two finally part ways, Neil begins to reflect on everything they’ve been through together. Something doesn’t sit right.
SPOILER ALERT:
If you haven’t seen the movie, stop, don’t read any further and instead go watch the movie with family, friends, or a loved one. But first, if you like these Movie Life Lessons, drop me a like or hit the subscribe button. I publish new Movie Life Lessons every Monday.
On his train ride home, Neil flashes back to moments with Del—comments about his wife that didn’t quite add up. When Neil decides to go back to the train station, we get the heart-wrenching reveal: Del’s wife has been dead for years, and he’s been traveling alone, with no real destination, trying to find connection wherever he can. Suddenly, Del’s cheerfulness, his relentless optimism, and his determination to stick with Neil take on a whole new meaning.
This reveal isn’t just a twist for shock value—it’s an emotional punch to the gut. It forces the audience to reevaluate Del’s character and the entire journey they’ve just witnessed. What seemed like mere antics now carry a layer of loneliness and longing. The film goes beyond comedy to explore themes of human connection, empathy, and the unspoken struggles people carry with them.
The final moments, when Neil invites Del home for Thanksgiving, bring everything full circle. Neil, who started as a self-centered, impatient man focused solely on his own comfort, now shows genuine compassion and understanding. And Del, who has been searching for a place to belong, finally finds one.
This ending, paired with John Candy’s masterful performance, transforms the film into something timeless—more than just a comedy, it’s a story about humanity. If you haven’t seen the full movie, don’t spoil the impact by jumping to this scene. Watch it in context, and let the reveal hit you the way it’s meant to: as a reminder that everyone is fighting a battle you can’t see, and kindness can make all the difference.
Here is a link to the final scene:
Fun Movie Trivia
Kevin Bacon cameo: You’ll Never Make the Six
Kevin Bacon was actually working with John Hughes on what would be his next movie, She’s Having a Baby, which would be released the following year. Fun trivia: in a scene in Planes, Trains, Neil’s wife, “Susan” (played by Laila Robins), is in bed watching a movie—she’s watching She’s Having a Baby.)
The movie was slapped with an R rating for this one scene that exceeded the threshold for F-bombs. Steve Martin made his case to the MPAA ratings board for a lower rating, which was not granted. Ultimately, Martin and Hughes felt the scene was worth keeping, even though it meant the film would face a harder time making its money back at the box office.
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