What is a dumb movie? Is it one that makes no sense, one that rolls your eyes and shatters your sense of disbelief? Is it bad, uninspired, maybe even unwatchable? Is it regarded with contempt and tossed to the side, destined to be forgotten except maybe in a vague memory?
Encino Man graced our screens 30 years ago. The high school comedy romp starred Sean Astin, Pauly Shore and a very early career Brendan Fraser. The premise is perfectly dumb: Two social outcasts thaw a caveman, hoping he can be used to make them popular while they teach him the ins and outs of being a modern teen.
Encino Man is about as early ‘90s as a movie could possibly be. It’s a time capsule filled with every social group that spread across America: The stoners, the casual SoCal lifestyle, the early aesthetics of grunge. The valley culture boom of the 1980s is still present, but very clearly evolving into a new sensation moving away from “valley speak” and toward a new vocabulary of surfer and stoner slang. But after three decades, I’m battling Encino Man’s classification as a movie to be tossed aside. The film did not survive well critically and while it gradually became a cult favorite, no one is going up to bat for the goofy caveman movie. Until today. It’s been long enough: Can we finally appreciate its glorious stupidity?
The element of Encino Man that has aged the best is Brendan Fraser. The film was only Fraser’s second feature and he burst on the scene as Link, the titular Encino Man. He throws himself into every scene. Whether he’s hunting a fly, learning how to speak like Pauly Shore or performing one of the best dance scenes in history, it’s a joyous performance. Fraser is magnetic and instantly watchable.
It’s no wonder Encino Man kickstarted Fraser’s career; it essentially works as his audition tape for George of the Jungle. Fraser plays the goofy and dumb hunk with ease and it’s clear on rewatches why he became a star. “Caveman” is one of those characters that can easily become a caricature, but Fraser gives Link a personality beyond just the gimmick. He inhabits the physicality of the role, making the transition from fish-out-of-water to SoCal native look natural. Fraser has such strong comedic timing that he makes the rest of the cast have to adapt to his performance. He has one of those rare screen presences that prove that you can always become a better actor, but charisma is an inherent trait. But since the performance is so goofy, Fraser is vastly underestimated. That’s a disservice associated with the film. He’s certainly become a better actor over the decades, but there’s a lot of raw talent on display. I don’t think any other actor could’ve inhabited the role with that perfect mix of physical comedy and pure starry charm. It’s an evergreen performance, still one of Fraser’s best, and it elevates Encino Man beyond its silly concept. Encino Man would not have been the romp it is without the capable and perennially underestimated Fraser and rewatching the film shows how far he’s come.
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Encino Man graced our screens 30 years ago. The high school comedy romp starred Sean Astin, Pauly Shore and a very early career Brendan Fraser. The premise is perfectly dumb: Two social outcasts thaw a caveman, hoping he can be used to make them popular while they teach him the ins and outs of being a modern teen.
Encino Man is about as early ‘90s as a movie could possibly be. It’s a time capsule filled with every social group that spread across America: The stoners, the casual SoCal lifestyle, the early aesthetics of grunge. The valley culture boom of the 1980s is still present, but very clearly evolving into a new sensation moving away from “valley speak” and toward a new vocabulary of surfer and stoner slang. But after three decades, I’m battling Encino Man’s classification as a movie to be tossed aside. The film did not survive well critically and while it gradually became a cult favorite, no one is going up to bat for the goofy caveman movie. Until today. It’s been long enough: Can we finally appreciate its glorious stupidity?
The element of Encino Man that has aged the best is Brendan Fraser. The film was only Fraser’s second feature and he burst on the scene as Link, the titular Encino Man. He throws himself into every scene. Whether he’s hunting a fly, learning how to speak like Pauly Shore or performing one of the best dance scenes in history, it’s a joyous performance. Fraser is magnetic and instantly watchable.
It’s no wonder Encino Man kickstarted Fraser’s career; it essentially works as his audition tape for George of the Jungle. Fraser plays the goofy and dumb hunk with ease and it’s clear on rewatches why he became a star. “Caveman” is one of those characters that can easily become a caricature, but Fraser gives Link a personality beyond just the gimmick. He inhabits the physicality of the role, making the transition from fish-out-of-water to SoCal native look natural. Fraser has such strong comedic timing that he makes the rest of the cast have to adapt to his performance. He has one of those rare screen presences that prove that you can always become a better actor, but charisma is an inherent trait. But since the performance is so goofy, Fraser is vastly underestimated. That’s a disservice associated with the film. He’s certainly become a better actor over the decades, but there’s a lot of raw talent on display. I don’t think any other actor could’ve inhabited the role with that perfect mix of physical comedy and pure starry charm. It’s an evergreen performance, still one of Fraser’s best, and it elevates Encino Man beyond its silly concept. Encino Man would not have been the romp it is without the capable and perennially underestimated Fraser and rewatching the film shows how far he’s come.
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