Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector

Larry the cable guy has a new role: Health Inspector. He and his new partner, Amy Butlin, are on assignment; they must find the culprit in a string of mysterious restaurant poisonings. Despite Larry’s blind eye to anything but blatant health code violations, he finds himself with this high profile role, much to his boss’s chagrin. His antics and poor manners not only offend his working partner, but restaurant owners must force a smile when confronted with dinnertime flatulence.

Meanwhile, Larry develops an unlikely romantic relationship with Jane, a lingerie store clerk, who is fired after creating a mess as a result of Larry’s flirtations through the store window. Jane is not deterred by Larry’s large, redneck truck full of trash, and Larry fits right in with Jane’s “fat and sassy” mother (as Larry refers to her), with whom Jane still lives. Their relationship is put to the test when the infamous Health Inspector is placed in such an intensive work environment.

This movie is thick with crude and sexual humor. Potty humor invades nearly every scene, and Larry freely dispenses euphemisms for his need to visit the restroom, for both male and female anatomy, and for other sexual topics. The most questionable scene of the movie occurs when the cable guy wakes with an erection after a suggestive dream sequence with Jane. While Jane makes it clear that she would not choose to engage in sexual activity on a first date, Larry suggests that he would pursue that possibility. There is no nudity, except Larry’s struggle with “Plumber’s Pants.” Larry, say no to crack.

For those who suffer from a less-than-steel-stomach, be warned that restaurant patrons are shown actively vomiting on various occasions throughout the movie.

During the course of the movie, several characters consume beer, and Larry becomes drunk during one scene. His drunken state is induced by disenchantment in a dating relationship, and he unfortunately turns to alcohol to avoid feeling his disappointment. Further, his home décor includes a metal beer wall advertisement, and to maintain his redneck character, Larry is depicted using chewing tobacco on at least two occasions.

The movie was fair in dispensing insults to all groups of people—few escaped the spotlight. Larry repeatedly accused his boss of being a homosexual with references to gay bashing, a gay parade, and being a “flipper.” Larry’s neighbor is what he calls, “semi-retarded,” and is portrayed as an incompetent middle-aged man who would be lucky to find a job tearing ticket stubs at the movie theater. Also included is a reference to “farting Jews,” a mocking portrayal of a Muslim father, a disliked woman who is “so ugly she could trick or treat over the phone,” and a bold discussion of racial nicknames between Larry and an African American buddy. Larry even insisted on calling his partner, Amy, a male for the majority of the movie. Any opportunity to highlight and ridicule a difference in someone else was exploited.

The Mayor of Larry’s hometown plays a prominent role in the storyline and is unfortunately characterized as a smarmy and unsavory fellow. He is shown using a peep hole to spy on his administrative assistant, and he asks her whether it would be appropriate for him to request a shoulder rub. When she declines, he murmurs, “What is her problem?” The movie plot also reveals that this public servant is engaged in sexual conversations using online messenger programs.

One sequence in the movie contains various forms of “humorous” physical fighting. There are no weapons used in the movie, but there is one reference to an accident that occurred after a gun was stolen from Larry’s truck. He stated that he has subsequently ceased carrying weapons in his vehicle.

The language used in the movie is rarely clean. Though I believe the audience was spared from the f-word, the dialogue was peppered with uses of d*** and a** (10 or more uses or each). There were at least two occurrences of sh**, four or more deliveries of son-of-a-bi***, and “Lord” and “Jesus Christ” were used in vain during more than three lines.

In spite of a laundry list of inappropriate behavior and dialogue (of which I have only scratched the surface here), Larry has some redeeming and endearing qualities. Not only is he a tremendous fan of Moon Pies, but also he is very self-assured and comfortable presenting his true self in all settings. He does not find it necessary to conform to the dress codes of fancy restaurants, and he makes no apology for his accent and poor grammar. He is also an advocate for the “underdog” and the hard-working common man.

Surprisingly, Larry considers himself a Christian. While complaining about his boss, he remarks that perhaps he should not feel or speak that way as a “good Christian.” After experiencing “a miracle from the Lord Jesus,” Larry vows to go to church every Sunday. Larry needs someone in his life to share with him that it is by faith in Jesus Christ that we are saved from our sins. We are not “good Christians” because of our actions, rather we are made righteous by Christ’s death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead. Also, while we find opportunities to fellowship, learn, and grow in our relationship to Christ through church attendance, it is not a requirement for entrance into Heaven. It is a person’s faith in Christ as Savior, not works or church attendance, which determines whether he will be invited into Heaven.

This movie had humorous moments, despite being extremely offensive as a whole. However, I do not recommend this movie to anyone under 18. Adults should use careful judgment as the language, sexual content, and crude humor may be a stumbling block for even the most mature believers. For anyone who carefully guards his or her heart, I would recommend passing this one up. The laughable moments do not outweigh the distasteful content.

Violence: Minor / Profanity: Moderate / Sex/Nudity: Minor

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.