Ernest à l'école

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.

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.

Rejoice, you fans of Ernest P. Worrell as "Ernest Goes to School" is finally on DVD. Released recently in Ernest's Wacky Adventures Vol. 2, you can now add this to your collection.

In this film, we find Ernest going back to school to graduate, if he can. Sarah Chalke (of "Roseanne" and "Scrubs" fame) also stars as Maisy, a girl that befriends Ernest.

If the film seems a little off compared to the other abundance of Ernest films, it is because the director of those, John R. Cherry, did not direct this particular entry. Coke Sams directs this sequel, he produced many of the other Ernest films.

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?

This film is so funny. The Ernest is a very funny man who makes funny faces and goes to the school with children. This movie had me in laughter for about three days after watching it. I highly reccomend you buy this movie. It is a classic comedy like Weekend at Bernie's and Police academy 6.