Ernest Goes to School

So, I have grown up with the Ernest series (especially movies like Ernest Scared Stupid and Ernest Saves Christmas). Ernest Goes To School was the first of the final four films notable for being released directly-to-video, and boy, does that move start showing how stale the series got.

Ernest is a janior for a high school, however, due to a rule change by the shool board who is planning to close it down and merge all schools into one. With the rule being all school system employees must have a high school diploma, Ernest must either resign or go back to school as he does not have one due to not completing high school. So now, he has to go back to complete twelfth grade in order to keep his job. Usual antics follow, along with a plot by a villain against the school.

While it still has some of the Ernest charm, sadly, the move to direct-to-video would harm this movie. While Jim Varney still does a good job as Ernest, the film suffers from the same-old, same old. If you seen the past Ernest films, this is basically the same movie, but with a different setting and plot. Some of the jokes are hit-or-miss, and the acting for the other character is horrendous. This movie is the start of the Ernest films beginning to show how stale the poor guy has gotten (as he would have three more movies after this, each one being worst).

People, let's not get carried away praising this movie. I, too, have been known to enjoy the "Ernest" films, but this one was weak, at best. First and foremost, it had the production quality of a "Saved by the Bell" season finale. It's almost embarrassing to watch some of the gags and the canned music that accompanies it. No, check that, it IS embarrassing to witness many parts of this movie. That football game at the end of the movie existed so far outside the known laws of physics that no gag contained within that sequence could be funny; it could only come across as desperate. Sorry, Jim Varney, rest in peace. But seriously dude, what made it ok for you to do this movie?

With a school threatened with closure to merge with another school, the staff are all told they must have graduated high school. This is no problem for all except janitor Ernest who returns to class to get his diploma. Despite some problems Ernest discovers a machine that makes him smart – but will it create more problems than it solves.

This was my first Ernest film – I have since watched several more (sucker for punishment). As this was my first I came to it with no preconceptions except that I knew it was going to be a silly comedy. In the first 30 seconds we have Ernest dragging a cart across the campus knocking people down as he goes – that sets the mood for the comedy right away. The plot is absurd – the basic set up about him returning to school is daft but when the whole thing about the machine that makes him smart come in it really just gets dumb!

However lets ignore the plot – it's all about the laughs isn't it? Sadly this has very very few good laughs – it has a handful of smiles but no real laughs. Most of the jokes involve someone getting hurt or Ernest mugging around. Really the level of comedy never gets above serving young children. It could easily have served adults too but this is far too basic for that to happen.

Varney himself is a very poor man's Jim Carrey – nothing but mugging and silly voices. The only other cast member that is worth mentioning is a brief appearance by Sarah Chalke who played Darlene in Roseanne and is now in Scrubs.

Overall – if you are between 4 and 11 then this will probably appeal to you. If you are outside of this demographic then you'll be as bored as I was. Another review said `it's a classic comedy like Police Academy 6' – yeah! That's about right…..I rest my case.

If you like Ernest movies then you will like this one. It is the same slapstick style comedy with your favorite character. I think I out grew this a while back though b/c I was not entirely impressed. That is about all I can say about this film.

OK, maybe it's not the best of the "Ernest" films, and it's certainly not the worst (that title goes to "Ernest Goes to Africa" the only "Ernest" film that I thought SUCKED), "Ernest Goes to School" is still a great "Ernest" film. The movie has Ernest going back to school to get his diploma in order to keep his job as a school custodian. Along the way, he encounters a machine that makes him smarter, but problems soon begin for him. In the end of course, Ernest does what's right, and he once again pulls off another accomplishment.

Once again, Jim Varney does a great job as knucklehead Ernest P. Worrell, and the supporting cast does a good job too in this "Ernest" installment. While not the best, nor the worst "Ernest" film it's still worth checking out.