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Trailer

Ernest Goes to Jail

1990Movie1 h 21 minPG

40

WeakGoodWatch score

40

WeakGoodWatch score

Rotten Tomatoes

Summary

Bumbling bank janitor Ernest P. Worrell is assigned to jury duty, and soon finds himself in trouble when he is covertly switched with a look-a-like crime boss. Ernest must escape from jail to expose the mix-up.

Good for

Family movie night
Friends night
Party vibe

Where to watch

Set your services

Fingerprint

Not for big ideas or tears.

Movies with

Cast

14 of 14

Crew

Directed by: John Cherry
Written by: Charlie Cohen
Produced by: Stacy Williams
Music by: Bruce Arntson, Kirby Shelstad

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

April 6, 1990 · 1 h 21 min · PG

Released: April 6, 1990
Runtime: 1 h 21 min
Age rating: PG
Content: Violence
Genres: Comedy, Family, Crime
Original language: English
Made in: United States
Box office: $25 million
Available in: 11 countries

Tropes

Chekhov's Gun, Selective Magnetism, Disguised in Drag +9

12 of 45 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream Ernest Goes to Jail?"

Questions about Ernest Goes to Jail

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Ernest Goes to Jail?

In the United States, you can rent or buy Ernest Goes to Jail from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home.

Is Ernest Goes to Jail worth watching?

40

WeakGoodWatch score

Reviews are weak, with a GoodWatch score of 40 (IMDb 5.5, Rotten Tomatoes 11%, and Metacritic 40). Audiences rate it higher (58 out of 100) than critics (26).

Is Ernest Goes to Jail a sequel?

Yes: it's movie 3 of 9 in its series, after Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) and before Ernest Scared Stupid (1991).

Is Ernest Goes to Jail okay for kids?

PGViolence

Yes: it's rated PG in the United States for violence, and the viewing guide lists it for kids.

Will Ernest Goes to Jail make me laugh?

Very funny

Yes, a lot: the humor is mostly situational comedy (9 of 10) and slapstick (9 of 10).

Can I half-watch Ernest Goes to Jail?

Easy watchDemanding

Yes: it's easy to follow, with complexity at only 4 of 10, and the viewing guide calls it good for background watching.

What tropes does Ernest Goes to Jail use?

Chekhov's GunSelective MagnetismDisguised in DragSlap StickOne-Steve LimitTrailers Always SpoilArtistic License – LawAccidental MisnamingHorrible Judge of CharacterNot Used to FreedomArtistic License – Gun SafetyRube Goldberg Deviceand 33 more

TV Tropes lists 45 tropes for it, including Chekhov's Gun, Selective Magnetism, and Disguised in Drag.