Ernest Goes to Jail

1990

Ernest Goes to Jail

Critics Consensus

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Ernest Goes to Jail Photos

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Movie Info

In Ernest Goes to Jail, Jim Varney returns as leering idiot savant Ernest P. Worrall, star of scores of TV commercials and feature films. Varney also takes on a second role in the film: an unrepentant, cold-blooded murderer named Felix Nash. When Ernest serves on the jury for Nash's murder trial, Nash arranges for look-alike Ernest to go to jail, while he stays on the outside to plan a major bank heist. Fortuitously for the criminal, it's the same bank where Ernest works as a security guard.

Rating:

PG
Genre:

Comedy, Kids & Family
Directed By:

John Cherry, John R. Cherry III
Written By:

Charlie Cohen
In Theaters:

Apr 6, 1990 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Sep 3, 2002
Runtime:

81 minutes
Studio:

Touchstone Pictures

Cast

Jim Varney
as Ernest P. Worrell/Mr. Nash/Aunt Nelda

Gailard Sartain
as Chuck

Bill Byrge
as Bobby

Barbara Tyson
as Charlotte Sparrow

Barry Scott
as Rubin Bartlett

Randall "Tex" Cobb
as Lyle

Dan Leegant
as Oscar Pendlesmythe

Charles Napier
as Warden

Jim Conrad
as Eddie

Jackie Welch
as Judge

Melanie Wheeler
as Prosecutor

Charles Lamb
as Con

Buck Ford
as Defense Attorney

Daniel Butler
as Waiter

Rick Shulman
as Mean Guard

Bruce Arntson
as Juror

Andrew Stahl
as Jerry

Bob Babbitt
as Washing Con

John Davis
as Other Guard

Michael Montgomery
as Warden's Assistant

Myke R. Mueller
as Vinnie

Mike Hutchinson
as Gate Guard

Charlie Lamb
as Another Con

Mac Bennett
as Con

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Critic Reviews for Ernest Goes to Jail

All Critics (8) | Fresh (1) | Rotten (7)

Jim Varney at the peak of his comedic powers, playing two instantly distinctive roles. If you only ever see one Ernest movie, make it this one.

Jun 24, 2004 | Rating: 5/5

Luke Y. Thompson
New Times
Here's one fictitious Ernest sequel that fits my sentiments exactly: "Ernest Gets on my Last Nerve". "Nuff said...

May 31, 2003 | Rating: 2/5

Frank Ochieng
TheWorldJournal.com
He was convicted for homicidal mugging.

Jul 25, 2002 | Rating: 1/5

Scott Weinberg
eFilmCritic.com

View All Critic Reviews (8)

Audience Reviews for Ernest Goes to Jail

Oct 23, 2015

from the terrible credit setup, you just know this Ernest addition is in trouble. This is the worst Ernest film, the jokes are terrible and Ernest isn't even funny. The guards wearing hot pink jackets? WTF is going on in this film? The innocent Ernest is put through gag after gag but not one of them is funny. A huge disappointment after the first two, you can really tell that preproduction was clearly wasted here.

Brendan N Super Reviewer
Jul 12, 2014

The comedic adventures of Ernest P. Worrell continue as Ernest Goes to Jail. When Ernest pulls jury duty a convict named Nash manages to switch places with him and leaves Ernest in prison on death row. Jim Varney pulls double duty as both Ernest and Nash, showing some impressive ranch as an actor. And there are some good supporting performances by Barbara Bush, Charles Napier, and Gailard Sartain. The comedy is also fairly well-written, with plenty of cornball antics and slapstick gags. Ernest Goes to Jail is another solid installment in the franchise, and delivers plenty of laughs.

Dann M Super Reviewer
Jul 01, 2012

I've never been a fan of Jim Varney, and I find his character Ernest P. Worrell to be very irritating. This was the first film that I saw with his character. This is poorly executed comedy and it just doesn't have anything good to make you laugh. I really thought that the film was bad because it lacked anything really interesting from aco0medic point of view. These films just aren't funny and are more irritating than anything. Varney never really made anything good aside from the Toy Story films. His Ernest character is one of the worst things in the genre, and it doesn't make you laugh. Ernest Goes to Jail just doesn't have any memorable laughs going for it and it just relies on stupid humor that doesn't work. This is one of those films that isn't worth seeing, and the comedic material is poorly constructed and it delivers an awful viewing experience that just isn't worth your time. Jim Varney has never made anything really good, and he's one of those actors that is more irritating than funny. I think this is a shame because maybe, just maybe this film would have been worth it if the character would actually be funny and that the film had a good plot with good jokes. However it doesn't have any of those things, and it's an awful comedy that isn't worth your time. Watch something different, you'll be glad you did, Ernest Goes to Jail is a poorly constructed comedy and the results show on-screen.

Alex r Super Reviewer
Jun 15, 2012

Dumb, unfunny and poor made, Ernest Goes to Jail it's a terrible experience to watch with bad acting. Jim Varney, sometimes in his carrer show to be a nice actor, sadly, Varney seldom make a good movie, Ernest franchise it's a prove of this. Always classified as a family picture, the movies by the character of TV commercials, looks that was written by a sadist screenwriter with a great love for torture the goofy P. Worrall, and the audience, in scenes that doesn't look like a kids film. Unfortunately, both, Ernest and Felix Nash, Worrall look-alike, doesn't die in the end (with that will be the last picture). Problem: It's even had a end. The writer was so upset with his work that finish the script without a end. Awful and disturbing.

Lucas M Super Reviewer