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Plot

A clueless caveman meets his intellectual match in the form of Pauly Shore in this teen-oriented comedy. Dave Morgan (Sean Astin) is a high school student in Encino, California, where he spends most of his time with his dazed-and-confused buddy Stoney Brown (Shore) and tries to figure out why his girlfriend Robyn (Megan Ward) left him for thick-headed jock Matt (Michael DeLuise). Hoping to boost his low status in the High School pecking order, Dave wants to put in a swimming pool at his family's home for a massive post-prom party. While Dave and Stoney are digging the pit, an earthquake strikes that unearths a frozen caveman (Brendan Fraser). To Dave and Stoney's surprise, the frozen Neanderthal soon comes to life, and after a bath, a shave, and a new set of clothes, the boys are passing off their dim-witted-but-friendly companion "Link" as an exchange student from Estonia. Link soon becomes the most popular guy at school, and Dave is determined to use Link's social success as a way to win back Robyn and foil Matt. Encino Man marked the directorial debut of Les Mayfield, who previously produced the critically acclaimed documentary Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse.
MPAA Rating:
PG for mild language and sensuality.
Genre(s):
Comedy
Run Time:
88min.
Theatrical Release Date:
05/22/1992
DVD Release Date:
01/18/2000
Distributor(s):
Buena Vista
Director(s):
Themes:
High School Life,Double Life,Assumed Identities,Time Sleepers,Fish Out of Water
Tone:
Goofy,Light,Silly,Upbeat
Keywords:
Valley-girl,caveman,cryogenics,cultural-shock,earthquake,freeze,high-school,man,prehistoric,prom,school,swimming-pool,teenagers
Country of Origin:
USA (05-22-1992)
Language:
English