Movie Review: Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector

In a nutshell, Larry the Cable Guy is Larry the Health Inspector and in an effort to save his job (due to his supposedly endearing and yet unconventional manner of doing his job) he must solve a mystery — a gross and yet un-intriguing mystery (word to the wise — don’t plan to eat while you watch it). Along the way there is alleged mayhem (none of it very interesting) and a love story that is absurd only to the point of being absurd, stopping far short of being absurdly funny.

And it’s not that I don’t appreciate humor that arises from sheer stupidity. I enjoy stupidity and outrageous behavior as much as the next person. Plenty of people have perfected that concept, such as Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber. And by the way, the bathroom scene that made us all roll on the floor laughing in Dumb and Dumber was re-created by Larry the Health Inspector and I’m sorry, but it just wasn’t very funny this time around.

Any Chris Farley movie did the “so absurd and stupid it’s hilarious” to perfection. One of the reasons his movies worked so well is that Chris Farley was able to create an endearing (albeit outrageously stupid) character. Unfortunately Larry the Cable Guy does not. In fact he’s rather revolting, even during the parts where the writers are clearly trying to make him seem sympathetic.

If you can imagine ninety minutes of Larry the Cable Guy's hillbilly perspective, uninterrupted by normalcy, that’s what this movie is. Ninety minutes of... well, hillbilly talk. No redeeming qualities, no contrast, no perspective. Nothing which shocks us with the humor of contrasting Larry's up-front, frank hillbilly ways with the normalcy of American life. It's just ninety minutes of Larry being Larry with no one effectively playing the role of straight man. Actually there are people who are trying to play the “straight man,” namely his partner (played by Iris Bahr), but she is so completely ineffective (and not funny) that it just doesn’t work.

Article Author: Staci Schoff

In addition to pontificating in relative obscurity, Staci enjoys a good book, a cold beer and hanging out with her family. Perhaps, but not necessarily, in that order.

Visit Staci Schoff's author page — Staci Schoff's Blog