George of the Jungle (1997) Review

Title: George of the Jungle
Year: 1997
Director: Sam Weisman
Country: US
Language: English

Now that Brendan Fraiser won Best Actor for The Whale it's cool to say you enjoyed his earlier, more cheesy work right? George of the Jungle (1997) was Fraiser's breakthrough Hollywood role. It pushed him beyond B-comedy pictures like Encino Man (1991) & made the studio execs consider him a possible leading man candidate. Without this role, he may not have been in the action packed Blockbuster The Mummy (2000).

A man raised in the jungle by apes (Brendan Fraiser) falls in love with a wealthy American heiress (Leslie Mann).

Made alongside a wealth of "Boomer TV Shows made into 90's Family Friendly Movies" (see also: Rocky and Bullwinkle) George of the Jungle is a mindless popcorn munching flick that combines the silliness of the 90's, with the naivete of the 60's. It's charming, heartwarming and is a surprisingly effective romantic comedy. I certainly buy the chemistry between the two leads.

I appreciate that we are given two wacky "fish out of water" scenarios. One where the wealthy heiress is mixing it up in the Jungle, and another where George has to survive the city. For the most part the humor is infectiously funny, but sometimes it can be tone deaf & cringe. George of the Jungle has one too many scatological jokes for my taste.

Both leads give a tremendous performance. Leslie Mann & Brendan Fraiser make us invested in an unbelievable scenario and, despite how silly their lines can be, make us excited for their blossoming romance. George of the Jungle is an underrated classic.