Encino Man (1992)

(In French, On Cable TV, June 2019) Prehistoric fish-out-of-water meets high-school humour with a side of stoner antics in Encino Man, a dumb but good-natured teen comedy that just happens to feature Brendan Fraser in one of his most prominent early roles. It’s not much of a clever script—no matter where the fish comes from, the out-of-water part is similar from one film to another, and this one seems dictated by the wishes of two teenagers looking for high-school celebrity and romance. Much of Encino Man’s fun is in the antics of the characters, especially the prehistoric man thrust in early-nineties California living—including a visit to the local convenience store for a horrifying lesson in nutrition. It’s easy to see why Brendan Fraser would turn out to be a major comedy star in the nineties. Pauly Shore and Sean Astin also star and keep things running while Fraser does his thing. It’s not much, but it’s pleasant enough.