Ernest Goes to Jail

Ernest Goes to Jail is a 1990 American comedy film directed by John R. Cherry III and starring Jim Varney. It's the third (technically fourth) film to feature the character Ernest P. Worrell.

Ernest is a janitor at the Howard County Bank and Trust only kept at his job out of sympathy. He also looks exactly like death row inmate Felix Nash. During a tour of the prison Nash is kept in after Ernest is called to jury duty, Nash kidnaps Ernest and switches places with him.

Now Nash attempts to assume the life of Ernest P. Worrell while Ernest, confused for Felix Nash, is only days from the electric chair. Can Ernest escape from prison and stop his nefarious doppelganger?

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Tropes used in Ernest Goes to Jail include:

• Acting for Two: Jim Varney plays both Ernest P. Worrell and Felix Nash.
  • Criminal Doppelganger: Naturally, Felix Nash is one for Ernest.
• Artistic License Gun Safety / Reckless Gun Usage: When the two security guards show off the new security system, they demonstrate it by shooting at the bulletproof glass, with one of the bank managers standing behind it.
• Chekhov's Boomerang: In this movie, Ernest becomes magnetic whenever given an electric shock.
• Rogue Juror: The single rogue juror was a result of jury tampering. Nash switched places with Ernest and managed to change the verdict.
• Rube Goldberg Device: Ernest has one in his home, activated by turning on a light switch.
• Selective Magnetism: Whenever Ernest is electricuted.
• Slapstick: Whenever Ernest gets shocked, but Nash also gets bumped by the Rube Goldberg Device frequently.
• Swapped Roles: Between Ernest and Felix Nash.