What we flagged
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Our take
Two teenagers bring a frozen caveman into their high school, and Encino Man plays the chaos for broad laughs. There is some crude talk and swearing, plus teenagers drinking at a party. We would start around 11 for the humour and the casual treatment of that drinking.
Uplifting themes
Friendship, accepting people who look different, and standing up to jerks get a light boost. The comedy keeps the moral simple and avoids a heavy sermon at the end Dave learns confidence as he helps hide Link, and Link models loyalty to his new friends. Stoney stays a cheerful troublemaker, so he is more comic relief than a guide
Story (may spoil tone)
High school misfits Stoney and Dave discover a long-frozen primeval man buried in their backyard. But the thawed-out Link—as the boys have named him—quickly becomes a wild card in the teens' already zany Southern California lives. After a shave and some new clothes, Link's presence at school makes the daily drudgery a lot more interesting.
What we flagged
Details
Violence Cartoonish shoves, a bullfight clip on TV, and comic threats to kill a…
Cartoonish shoves, a bullfight clip on TV, and comic threats to kill a rival pop up in teen banter. Nothing plays as realistic harm, and fights stay slapstick
Language Teens say s-word, hell, bull s-word, and p-word when arguing about prom…
Teens say s-word, hell, bull s-word, and p-word when arguing about prom, girls, and Link's cover story. The swearing fits 1990s teen comedy tone and is not constant
Sex / nudity Characters joke about standing in a bedroom and having been naked toget…
Characters joke about standing in a bedroom and having been naked together while cavemen bathed; kissing at prom is played for laughs
Drugs / alcohol Teens share tequila at a house party and treat it as a rite of passage…
Teens share tequila at a house party and treat it as a rite of passage before the prom. There is no hard-drug use, and adults mostly scold the drinking instead of joining in
Frightening Only mild suspense builds when adults almost discover Link's secret in…
Only mild suspense builds when adults almost discover Link's secret in the backyard. There are no horror set pieces, just worry about getting caught
Bullying / discrimination A muscle-bound jock picks on Dave until Link humiliates him in front of…
A muscle-bound jock picks on Dave until Link humiliates him in front of the school. The film sides with the underdog and treats the bully as a punchline
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
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Talk after watching
- Link learns modern rules from teenagers who barely follow them themselves. Who actually teaches whom in this friendship?
- Stoney wants popularity while Dave wants a girlfriend. What is each friend really looking for?
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