Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 7, 1990 TAG: 9004070294
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: The New York Times
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
It was almost too painful to think about a sequel, much less wonder why Ernest had become a movie star. This is the irritating, rubbery-mouthed character who became famous pitching appliances, mattresses and soft drinks on television commercials by yelling "Hey, Vern!" at his neighbor.
But "Ernest Goes to Jail" so resembles a high-spirited cartoon that it is likely to be more amusing to children and less painfully obnoxious for parents than its predecessors.
Here, Ernest's character is not only toned down but also split in two, using the old evil-twin plot. The hero is abducted from jury duty and switched with a lookalike prisoner (both played by Jim Varney), who then takes over Ernest's job as a bank janitor.
But the smartest adjustment is that "Ernest Goes to Jail" relies more heavily on inanimate objects and the kind of slapstick humor a 5-year-old might appreciate best.
Ernest has a cartoon character's ability to defy the laws of nature and physics with no permanent damage. Whenever Ernest is charged with electricity, which he is prone to be, he becomes magnetized. Paper clips and pens cling to his face in the bank. He goes to the electric chair, but gets up alive and full of lightning bolts that leap from his fingers. An electrified Ernest can even fly through the air.
None of this is especially inventive or handled in a more than proficient way. But the film is genial, smooth and inoffensive. In the baffling world of Ernest, being able to give such backhanded praise is more than a grown-up could have hoped for. `Ernest Goes to Jail' Rated PG playing at the Salem Valley 8 (389-0444) and Valley View Mall 6 (362-8219). There are some moments when Ernest's physical jeopardy, especially his electrocution, may confuse small children.
by CNB