第一部实景拍摄备受世界瞩目环法大赛的电影传奇单车手伯纳德伊诺、罗宏加拉伯特特别联袂客串铁马欧吉桑,为爱为梦想,勇闯自行车运动最高殿堂年过40的冯索是个不折不扣的中年鲁蛇,他的儿子瞧不起他,他的老婆指责他。为了躲避令人沮丧的日常生活,他把所有时间都花在心爱的单车上,当妻子发现他居然还报名今年环法大赛的义工后,终于受不了提出离婚的要求,要带儿子一起离开他。直到认识雷米后,冯索的生命才默默起了变化,同是天涯沦落人,受到前风光运动经理、如今也是废材一枝的雷米影响,冯索决定要实现他深埋已久的童年梦想——参加环法大赛。半路出家的他,志在参加、不在得名;他的参赛启发许多人的加入,每当他再过一关,离终点越来越近,媒体对他就越发疯狂,只是在周围都是职业好手的包围下,他真能撑过如此艰辛的赛程直到最后吗?。山田日後承認在開拍此片之前,已心諳渥美清的肺病步入末期,決定此章為最後一章,並安排由淺丘瑠璃子演的莉莉送寅次郎踏上人生的最後一程。分別15年後,兩人於如詩如畫的奄美大島重逢,感情依舊,鬥氣繼續,沒完沒了似的。正如山田所想,雖然系列必須完結,但始終不想為寅次郎的故事/人生劃上句號。結局如常開放,代表寅一直繼續他的旅程,日本人依然有夢。
公映後翌年,渥美清病逝,享年68歲,本片亦成為他的遺作。
Yamada knew before production began that Atsumi's health has deteriorated to such an extent that Tora-san to the Rescue would be the last film in the series. He decided to let Lily accompany Tora on his last trip. The lovers reunite after fifteen years in the picturesque Amami O Shima, and the affections as well as the bickering remain. Although the series must come to its conclusion, Yamada has deliberately left the film's ending open, so as not to let the curtain fall on "Tora-san". Atsumi Kiyosh passed away at the age of 68 in the year following the film's release, making this film his last.。