Joseph Pezzuto
That'll go down faster than a bottle of Vicodin at Courtney Love's house." American stand-up comedian, actor and former radio personality Daniel Lawrence Whitney, better known as Larry the Cable Guy, starred in his first movie back in 2006 as a slovenly cable repairman-turned municipal high-class restaurant-investigating health inspector. He was one of the members of the Blue Collar Comedy tour on Blue Collar TV, a comedy troupe which included Bill Engvall, Ron White and Jeff Foxworthy. To date Larry has starred in three Blue Collar Comedy Tour-related films: Health Inspector, Delta Farce (2007) and Witless Protection (2008), both of which I will get to reviewing later on in the near future. With his stereotypical redneck rube appearance, thick Southern accent and joke-telling of questionable taste, how does he fare from his stand-up act to the big screen? Aside from being best know as voicing Mater in the popular Cars franchise, of which came out the same year as this movie, how did this one manage to slip pass the Board of Health? Let's take a look.Larry, here playing much like himself but now as a health inspector, is an uncouth, middle-aged Moon Pie-munching bachelor living in a pig- sty of an apartment and drives an over-sized, bumper sticker-clad, exhaust-spewing pickup truck. His exasperated, no- nonsense boss Bart Tatlock (Thomas F. Wilson, of whom is best remembered as Biff from Back to the Future) is tired of Larry's ways in order of getting his duties accomplished. To have him fired, he assigns Larry with a new partner named Amy Butlin (Iris Bahr), a strict, by-the-book professional of whom takes her work quite seriously as opposed to Larry's questionable practices to his job, despite the fact that he always refers to her as a "he" or a "him" due to thinking she is a man. Iris did in fact appear in the unaired pilot for The Big Bang Theory as one of Leonard and Sheldon's university colleauges named Gilda the same year Health Inspector was released. Her character turned out to be the prototype for the later developed character Leslie Winkle (Sara Gilbert), as Gilda was thusly scrapped. No wonder she acts like a female Dr. Cooper in this movie. She tries to learn the ropes, but Larry's personality in less than tolerable. However his knowledge of vermin and disarmingly disconcerted way of interviewing witnesses and suspects slowly gets him where he needs to go. After learning of a serial criminal of whom is going around intoxicating local five-star restaurants, the duo drive off to save the town from a fatal food poisoning. It is only near the film's end where the culprit is exposed at a televised taping of Top Chef. Hilarious hijinks do not ensue.Panned by critics with a five percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the website ranked Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector #85 on its "The 100 Worst Reviewed Films Of All Time: 2000-2009" list. And after watching this, I can definitely see why. Some portions of Health Inspector are made up of Larry rattling off double-entrendes to get a point across we the audience got the first time ("I could do this all day") and enlongated fart jokes that disgust rather than get even a smirk. Even seeing Larry go undercover as a copacabana dancer near the end of the movie is unpleasant to look at, especially with his protruding girth. The supporting cast is halfway decent at least, including Joe Pantoliano (The Matrix, Memento) as Mayor Maurice T. Gunn, Tony Hale (Veep, Arrested Development) as Jack Dabbs, of whom poses as a wheelchair-bound cripple in cahoots with the bad guys (I seriously think he wanted to escape from the set near the end of the movie), Donnie (David Koechner, The Office, Anchorman), Larry's kind but dimwitted, bald but pony-tailed next- door neighbor, Joanna Cassidy as a restaurant owner, a horrifying unibrowed girl side character and Larry's blonde romantic interest Jane Whitley, a sweet, shy waitress. I was satisfied that they had the dignity not to make her a stereotypical airhead and actually quite smart. She does, unfortunately, give in to flatulence in one scene with Larry, somewhat losing her dignity as a better character. Even Kid Rock makes a cameo when Larry has a fantasy: either go fishing with him or make love to Jane. Jane comments to Larry, "Nice rod" as he holds his pole in a questionable area of his antatomy as we know what his thoughts are. But the jokes are no doubt aimed at those of whom attend Larry's stand-up act and are indeed low-class to say for the most part regarding his schtick. I didn't expect anything less upon pressing the play button, knowing I was doing it only for the criticism.With a budget of $17 million, Health Inspector only garnered back a sickly $15 million plus of its earnings back at the box office. The website consensus on Rotten Tomatoes states: "An aggressively lowbrow vehicle for its titular star, this gross-out comedy fails to "git-r-done." At least Larry was nominated the Worst Actor at the 27th Golden Raspberry Awards. Look, if you enjoy Larry and his comedy, then good for you. As for myself, the toilet humor and innuendos are needless filler just to get a cheap laugh. I think it true and wise in keeping your health by staying far away from this film of which fails on all accounts to pass inspection.
frogstompx-585-234486
I'm not sure why this movie gets such bad reviews. Maybe it's a guilty pleasure of mine, but I love this movie. What were you expecting when you saw it? You either like Larry's style of comedy, or you don't. If you set your expectations too high, then I suppose this movie falls flat. But if you go expecting some cheap laughs and fart jokes, it's a home run. All I'm saying is give it a chance. Again, if you don't like Larry the Cable Guy or potty humor, skip it. But then again, if you're like me and do like those things, I'm sure you'll get a kick out of it. Don't take life so seriously. Relax, unwind, make some popcorn and watch. It's just a funny movie, I don't care who you are, so enjoy it!
Xander Seavy (RiffRaffMcKinley)
Larry the Cable Guy has never been one of my favorite comedians anyway, but I can't even stand to see *him* doing anything so gut-wrenchingly repulsive as to star in a movie where the most memorable quote is, "Y' ever fart s' hard yer back cracks?"This miserable abomination of a movie is something I never wanted to see, but it was playing in the room and I wanted to spend time with my family. Call me crazy. That was the film equivalent of falling on a grenade! I don't know how I overlooked this movie for my 25 Worst List in My Movies, but it's going straight in there when I'm done writing this.If you're a fan of Blue Collar Comedy Tour, I guess you're supposed to love this. However, BCCT notwithstanding, this movie is terrible. How on Earth does a movie like this ever get made? No-- don't tell me-- profit.
rick-mehlman
Anytime a movie whips by without my noticing, it's a good movie. Larry the Cable guy's movie did just that.Larry made me laugh. It was warm-hearted and tender.What's wrong with that?These so-called critics who loved '40-year old Virgin have somehow brain-washed the masses again into believing movies with 'heartland' or 'middle America' must be mocked at. I'm getting tired of the people who love 'Borat', but won't make room for other types of humor. It's my way or the highway.I say, 'forget them'. Forget the critics. They're mostly jerks who never made a film.These so-called critics annoy me. Have you noticed they all sound the same? They have the cynical, abrasive personality that you see on talk shows. This is what this country is headed.What made Larry the Cable Guy a great film was it never once made me bored.
