Un cavernícola adolescente

When I was in high school my friends and I watched this movie every afternoon for one whole summer. We memorized all the lines and would tell people not to tax our gigs so hard-core, Crusters. I totally disagree that this is a "Man's Movie". I think it's more of a "feel like you're in high school again movie". Brendan Fraser is HOT and if I liked girls, I'd think that the girls were too. Sean Astin's character, Dave, is a geek and will remain a geek because he can't get over his popularity issue. Stoney is cool because he says and does the unexpected. There's all kinds of editing errors and sometimes it doesn't make a whole lot of sense but I don't care. It's super-lame but it's fun to watch and fun to recite and I don't think I'll ever get sick of it. But then again, I could ride the Vapor in reverse all day long...

Dave Morgan (Sean Astin) decides to dig his own swimming pool for an end of high school party. Along with his wacky best friend Stoney Brown (Pauly Shore), they find a frozen caveman Link (Brendan Fraser). Dave is in love with his old friend Robyn Sweeney (Megan Ward). However she's now out of his league with douche bully boyfriend Matt Wilson (Michael DeLuise) and dismissive friend Ella (Robin Tunney). Link gets thawed out and tries to adjust to the modern world with the help of the boys. Link becomes the cool new guy in school with Dave and Stoney tagging along.

It's sometimes fun. Pauly Shore is actually likable as the wacky sidekick. Sean Astin is a bit too hyper desperate. Brendan Fraser is great as the wild caveman. It's cute but not hilarious. Director Les Mayfield doesn't have the greatest comedic touch. The movie survives on the wild performances of Fraser and Shore.

I'm not sure why, but still to this day I love to sit down to Encino Man. I think because I just loved it as a child and it's like that blankie you can't get rid off. Also, you need those comedies that you can just sit down too and just have fun and relax. Yes, it has Pauly Shore which granted can be scare-E! :D But he's actually amusing as well in the film.

We see a very young Brendon Fraser as Link the caveman, yes, he doesn't have much to work with the grunting and such. But he was just priceless in that club scene and the seven eleven with Pauly. He's also just so cute and lovable when he sees Dave and Stoney getting into a fight and he pulls David back screaming to him "Family!". It was actually touching, I'm serious. Sean Austin plays Dave, he's come such a long way and in my opinion is the most successful child star to not get hooked on drugs or let the industry take him over. He does such a good job as the pretty self centered and insecure but nevertheless lovable guy who wants to get the girl. Pauly plays Stoney, a well, I think he's somewhat of a stoner. :D But he's pretty funny in the film with some of his lines. Come on, I think we all dug him in his day.

While yes, Encino Man is not Oscar material, it's just a fun time to sit down and enjoy with your friends. So, a 5.0? It's just a movie, let go and grab the popcorn for a few laughs. If you didn't laugh at that scene where Link speaks Spanish to the Hispanic gang members, you have some serious issues.

7/10

Encino Man is a comedy influenced by the wackiness of the grunge generation. The young cast, which stars Astin, Shore, and Fraser, is likely to be a major draw for teenagers and younger viewers, who will likely enjoy this movie.

The story is pretty goofy. Dave (Sean Astin) has major plans for putting a swimming pool in his backyard to at least get some popularity points with the neighborhood teens who could lounge by the water in the blazing California summer sun. But, when he's breaking ground, he digs up a block of ice with a casualty of the Ice Ages, primitive fellow who he and his hip buddy, Stoney (Pauley Shore), clean off and try to disguise him as a regular American teenager. Needless to say, a lot of mishaps arise out of this. But eventually, the grizzly Link (Fraser), is a pretty popular kid at the high school, and one that Dave thinks will help him get popular, too, in that popularity-by-association kind of way.

Matt Wilson, a jerky jock (Michael DeLuise) interferes with Dave's plans to just try and pass off Link as a normal exchange student. Already p***ed with Dave and Stoney for getting friendly with his girlfriend Robyn (Megan Ward), and with their increasing popularity--especially Link, who Robyn has a little crush on. Matt figures out Link's real identity, and it's a question of whether anyone will believe his story that Link is really from the Ice Ages. Not even the school's most popular jerk can get off easy with a line like that.

The cast and this silly story make it an enjoyable comedy. Teens are likely to enjoy Pauley Shore's scenes as the happy-go-lucky hippie throwback friend, Stoney, as he just seems like such a nice, giant goofball who can really have fun with this material. It's also pretty funny to watch a fellow from the Ice Age trying to adapt to modern teenage life, much like the historical dudes did in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. It's even got some sweet tunes on the soundtrack. So loosen up and enjoy it already.

When they find a frozen caveman (Brendan Fraser) in their back yard, two high school outcasts thaw him and introduce him to modern life while he in turn gets them to actually enjoy life.

Pauly Shore made some okay movies and some bad movies. This one, along with "Bio-Dome", is an okay movie, or maybe even good. Then it starts going downhill from "Son-in-Law" to "Jury Duty" and we try to forget everything else. Shore was sort of a one-note joke, and because he was not able to grow beyond that, he kind of faded away.

This film works well because Fraser captures the caveman thing really well, but even more so it is Sean Astin who saves the day. By playing the straight man, he keeps the Fraser-Shore antics grounded, and his role should not be understated.