Ernest Goes to Jail poster & wallpaper
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Jim Varney, Gailard Sartain, Bill Byrge, Barbara Bush, Barry Scott ... see more see more... , Randall "Tex" Cobb , Dan Leegant , Charles Napier , Jim Conrad , Jackie Welch , Bob Babbitt , Mac Bennett , Buck Ford , Mike Hutchinson , Charles Lamb , Myke R. Mueller , Rick Shulman , Andrew Stahl , Melanie Wheeler , Bruce Arntson , Daniel Butler , Michael Montgomery , John Davis

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... read more read more..., 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. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

47% liked it

42,045 ratings

Critics

13% liked it

8 critics

PG, 1 hr. 21 min.

Directed by: John R. Cherry III

Release Date: April 6, 1990

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DVD Release Date: September 3, 2002

Stats: 1,105 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,105)

  • middleeasternfilms
    August 6, 2011
    middleeasternfilms
    The question isn't why did I watch this film, but instead why did I watch THE ENTIRE THING START TO FINISH? Not funny. Not even stupid funny, though Jim Varney was a terribly underrated actor in his lifetime.
  • DrZeek
    March 21, 2011
    DrZeek
    Felix Nash: Is everyone who works here a moron?
  • bug761
    February 18, 2011
    bug761
    Such an awesome movie by the late great Jim Varney. Nobody gets electrocuted like Varney. I got a kick out of Felix Nash. Varney did an excellent job playing a bad guy and he was quite sexy in my opinion. Auntie Nelda, played by Varney, is always a hoot. Even though she always s... read moreeems somewhat bitter about her bad son, she makes me laugh everytime. Jim did such a wonderful job voicing other characters during a prison cell scene when Lyle is helping him turn into Mr. Nash. Varney was the master of disguise with so many different voices. Even though Mr. Nash and Ernest had on the same outfit, they hardly looked anything alike. That goes to show you how versatile an actor Jim Varney was. I love these types of movies. They are good, clean fun. It's a good thing I have these movies on DVD because the VHS's wouldn't been worn out by now. Jim Varney, you are a legend. R.I.P.
  • puffchunk
    October 1, 2007
    puffchunk
    Good for an Ernest movie.
  • YosemiteSamFan
    August 2, 2007
    YosemiteSamFan
    Goofy country boy Ernest gets framed and put in jail. I liked the funny courtroom scene. I thought the prison settings were silly and low-budget. Nothing really bad happens to Ernest behind bars, so don't worry kids!
  • Godless
    March 21, 2006
    Godless
    If a film can be likened to poetry, this is surely one.
    -J. Peters
  • fb100002343630392
    September 2, 2011
    fb100002343630392
    to be honest, i thought this film was funny, innocent, and even lots of fun to watch. but it's way to wacky and dumb, but that what works, it's slapstick humor is what makes me like this movie and even give lots of credit to it's lead actor. B+
  • BlueTorch
    July 13, 2008
    BlueTorch
    It's an "Ernest" movie starring Jim Varney.
  • dukeakasmudge
    February 15, 2011
    dukeakasmudge
    Awesome just to see Jim Varney as Ernest P. Worrell but also Evil Ernest.I remember hating this movie when I was little for some reason but now after watching it today, I can't understand why.The jury scene where Ernest bites into the pen made me laugh when I was little & still d... read moreoes today.1 thing I always wondered is why Chuck and Bobby never got their own movie or TV show.They were great together & so funny!
  • brandankurtis
    January 4, 2011
    brandankurtis
    Ernest Goes To Jail is the 3rd installment in the popular series, and in my humble opinion, the best. Jim Varney brings so much humor and character to the table in whatever he is in. So many jokes in the Ernest movies I did not get as a child, however, after viewing them as adult... read mores, I find them even more funny. Ernest was actually quoting Shakespeare and his arrogant soliloquies were classic. Varney shines in this movie:doing all the different voices, faces, and characters we have grown to love. What I really like about this film is his portrayal of Mr. Nash,the villain. Jim Varney does a complete 180 turn from his bumbling, idiotic Ernest P. Worrell. The look, the voice, and the attitude are very different from the other character, which is a what a good actor should do if playing 2 roles. Varney pulls them both off remarkably well. Also Chuck and Bobby provide great slapstick humor as always, and this film is a comedy classic that can be viewed by all ages. Jim Varney left this old world way too fast, but he also left us comic treasures in film such as this movie. "Ernest Goes To Jail" is probably the BEST "Ernest" film ever made out of all of the films. Jim Varney once again gives us more laughs as he plays the idiotic Ernest P. Worrel. In the movie Ernest is assigned jury duty for a murder trial. Nash (who wants out of prison badly) the man who is on trial looks exactly like Ernest, and switches places with Ernest to escape from prison. So in the process, our rubber faced nit wit gets to spend some time in the slammer. Jim Varney once again does an excellent job as the bumbling fool Ernest P. Worrell as well as escaped criminal look a like Nash. I thought it was cool how Varney switched continuosly throughout the movie with the 2 characters. Overall this movie rules!!

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Critic Reviews

Luke Y. Thompson
June 24, 2004
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times

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.

Frank Ochieng
May 31, 2003
Frank Ochieng, TheWorldJournal.com

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

Scott Weinberg
July 25, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

He was convicted for homicidal mugging.

Caryn James
May 20, 2003
Caryn James, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Rita Kempley
January 1, 2000
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
July 12, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Greg Maki
January 5, 2004
Greg Maki, Star-Democrat (Easton, MD)

No review available.

Nell Minow
March 7, 2003
Nell Minow, Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

No review available.

Philip Martin
January 7, 2003
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

No review available.

Cory Cheney
August 8, 2002
Cory Cheney, Urban Tulsa Weekly

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Ernest Goes to Jail Trivia

  • Ernest goes from bank janitor to juror to convict after he's mistaken for a criminal?  Answer »
  • In Ernest Goes to Jail Jim Varney gets sent to jail for distruction of government property  Answer »
  • In what movie does the main character say I came, I saw, I got blowed up.  Answer »
  • Jim Varney plays a double role in which film?  Answer »
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