California Man
(1992)
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CALIFORNIA MAN stars Brendan Fraser as a teenage Neanderthal discovered and thawed out by two high school misfits, Dave (Sean Astin) and Stoney (Pauly Shore). Once the caveman, who they call Link, is up and about, things get hilariously out of control. Dave and Stoney figure he's their ticket to being cool. However, that idea backfires when Link turns everyday life upside down, causing a scene everywhere they go. |
This was a belated attempt to cash in on Bill and Ted-style comic capers, although by now Californian teen speak was becoming more irritating than funny. Sean Astin and Pauly Shore play the nerdish teenagers who gain a ticket to “cooldom” when they dig up a deep-frozen caveman ( George of the Jungle's Brendan Fraser) and educate him in the ways of adolescent etiquette. There are some amusing moments, Fraser makes for a pleasingly gormless hunk and the reliable Richard Masur is among the supporting players. However, the comic posturing of Shore, who rose to fame on MTV, quickly grates and ultimately this lacks the winning stupidity of Bill and Ted's two adventures. It was released in the USA as Encino Man.