Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector
I am undoubtedly not the
target audience for Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector. I
live in a blue state. I don't like redneck humor. I don't like
dumb humor. I don't belong to the NRA. I own no flannel
clothing, nor do I own a pick-up. I don't particularly like Kid Rock.
I think fart humor is stupid and I absolutely hate it when movies show
people vomiting. I have never seen Larry do stand-up. I think "Git-R-Done"
is a dumb catchphrase. I was only sort of impressed by his voice work
as Mater in Cars.
So I have an embarrassing
admission to make. I know that Health Inspector is not a good
movie, not even close. But I laughed a lot more than I would have ever
expected. I may need a shower later, but I can't deny that Larry can
be really funny.
Of course, he can also be
extremely disgusting. I went "yuk" probably as often as I chuckled,
and that is a big problem with the film. Hilarity and revulsion may
both be strong physical reactions, but it doesn't mean I want to experience
them at the same time. So while I wouldn't want to go to a Toby Keith
concert or a Bush rally with Larry, at home, with the fast forward button
close at hand, he can be kind of entertaining.
Larry is the latest in a
long line of proudly stupid comics trying to break out in Hollywood as movie
stars -- Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, Will Farrell, Owen Wilson
and many others. Honestly he is as good as any of those guys, though
that is not exactly shooting for the moon.
Health Inspector
tries to wring laughs from the idea that
the blissfully dirty Larry could be a restaurant health inspector, keeping
the people of his unnamed city free from roaches, rat droppings and uni-browed
restaurant owners. There is some big food contest where the winning
bistro takes away $250,000 and someone is giving food-poisoning to the
different cafes that are up for the prize. There is some kind of
badness going on that may involve the mayor (Joe Pantoliano in a disturbing
make-up job which makes him look like a bad wax replica of himself), Larry's boss (Tom Wilson
of Back to the Future) or a fancy restauranteur (Joanna
Cassidy of Who Framed Roger Rabbit.)
Don't even bother paying
attention to the plot. There is none, really. What little story
there is is ridiculous and makes no sense. But you aren't going to see
a movie called Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector expecting a
coherent plot. The cooking contest storyline is a needless
distraction, as is the totally unbelievable love subplot. There is
way, way too much in the way of fart and vomit humor.
However, when Larry goes on
a rant about titties or Boone's Farm Wine or his pickup, it almost makes up
for the lack of story. Larry the Cable Guy:
Health Inspector is as dumb as a stump. It's also, undeniably,
sometimes very funny.
(8/06)
Dave
Strohler
Copyright ©2006
PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved.
Posted: August 7, 2006.
