Robert W. Hey I'm just being honest. This review is probably less about the actual quality of this movie and more about how it makes me feel because I grew up with Ernest like many of us did. I probably watched Ernest Goes To Camp and this film a thousand times at least, not to mention his Saturday morning TV Series. It has been years since I watched any of Ernest's antics and decided to check out the old Christmas classic this year. What a terrific movie for families and what a talent Jim Varney was. Ernest (in general and in this movie) is so ridiculous, campy, cheesy and its just the perfect blend of all of that with a healthy dose of true comedy. The movie is cute and fun full of adventure and magic and holiday spirit. It isn't sappy but if you look under the surface there really is a sweet story there and has several different characters going through different things throughout the film. For what some might call a "silly" comedy, it is actually smartly written. It knows exactly its demographic and most importantly it knows what fans of Ernest want to see. It is a Christmas movie at its heart and soul and yet doesn't forget to include everything you love about Ernest and his adventures.I forgot just how amazing Jim Varney was in this role. His physical comedy is really something to see, whether he's pretending to be a silly character (snake farmer, old lady etc) or he's on a rant through Vern's house or trying to save a Christmas tree from the highway. He's simple and yet brilliant and full of heart. Its a great character and I forgot just how much I liked him. Ernest is the perfect character to put into a Christmas film and no one could do it like Varney. Not to be outdone the supporting cast is so good in their roles. Douglas Seale is amazing as Santa who is ready to retire and looking for his replacement. He is so out of place in the fast paced world but a strong person who is being treated so poorly. The chemistry with him and Varney is perfect for the film. Oliver Clark is the "Mister Rogers" type TV personality that Santa wants to replace him. Clark is good, although a little toned down compared to some of the other performances in the film. He is still very good in the movie. One of the first crushes I remember having was on Noelle Parker's Harmony. She is a wayward kid that lies and steals and happens to come across Ernest and Santa and learns the errors of her ways. She is the perfect personification of an 80's kid with the side pony and the clothes she wears. She nails the role and while its a very cookie cutter role, she is does it well (and she's as cute as she was back then.) Ernest regulars Bill Byrge and Robert Lesser show up as Bobby and Marty in a silly little side story that happens to be hilarious.I just don't know how anyone can't like this movie. I mean it isn't an Oscar winner and if you're looking for raunchy comedy you won't find it anywhere here at all. This is a clean cut family film with some really smart comedy and brilliantly they made sure John Cherry (who is an Ernest director staple) direct this one. He has done Ernest films and TV Shows since its conception it would seem and so he knows the character and likely worked well with Varney. If you're going into this with the right expectations you can't possibly be disappointed. If you don't know anything about Ernest or you're expecting some modern day raunch comedy then you'll hate this. This has everything you could possibly want from a comedy like this. I will be making my rounds of Ernest films starting now because I forgot how much I enjoyed the sheer silliness and this will be a Christmas staple in my house for certain. 8.5/10

ironhorse_iv First off R.I.P Jim Varney. Jim Varney was the Charles Chaplin of the 1980's & early 1990's. Jim Varney's goofy alter ego, Ernest was famous for his trademark slapstick humor, countless Bugs Bunny type dress up egos, and dumb humor. Despite, Ernest being nearly stupid, Jim Varney, the actor was a high IQ man. Jim Varney was also a serious Shakespearian actor. He was phenomenal and much admired in the 'circle' of Shakespeare, on a par with Sir Lawrence Olivier.. He said he loved playing Ernest because it was (for him) the direct opposite of doing Shakespeare. Ernest first made his mark doing commericals for nearly everything, it was his work with Coca-Cola that allow the Christmas ad's in the opening of the film. It opens up with Santa Claus (Douglas Seale) arrived at the Orlando Airport. Douglas Seale has one of the sweetest voices, and it's works for being Santa Claus. Ernest P. Worrell works as a taxi driver, and picks him up. Santa Claus is on his way to get a local celebrity Joe Carruthers to be new Santa Claus due to Douglas thinking of retiring. While they are driving, a runaway teenage girl (Noelle Parker) calling herself Harmony Starr joins Ernest and Santa in the cab. Harmony is a horrible character, who lies non-stop on end. However on Christmas eve, her conscience prevails and she reforms her ways. Ernest drops him off to meet Joe, but Ernest discovers that Santa left his magic sack behind in the cab, and Ernest begins a quest to find the old man and return it to him. There is a number of cool scenes in the movie that show Jim Varney's work, one is the POV Vern's house which pays tribute to the original commercials that first introduced Ernest, the audience never sees Vern's face. The other is when Ernest poses as Astor Clementh, an employee of the governor and Harmony as the governor's niece Mindy, and the two help Santa escape from jail when Santa got himself locked up by Joe's boss. The other is when Ernest disguises himself as an Apopka snake rancher (Lloyd Worrell from Knowhutimean? Hey Vern, It's my Family Album) who sneaks Santa into a movie studio to find Joe again. There are also supporting cast from his TV show days, as Chuck and Bobby (Gailard Sartain & Bill Byrge) that serves as sub-plot as two airport workers trying to control Santa's reindeer. The movie has a strong Christmas theme and the humor will keep a range of ages entertained nonetheless. Ernest is funny without using sex. Ernest also use little violence and harsh language. Very heartwarming, and works for family events. The cut-backs of the film can be the over used of advertising in this movie and re-cuts of older commericals (good example: the pancake on parade), dodgy plot-points, and bad Christmas puns. Director John Cherry and Jim Varney made a good movie for such a low-budget and it's one of the last of the good Ernest movies. Yeah, the Ernest movies are pretty much the ultimate in guilty pleasure crapfests, but this brings out the Christmas spirit in all of us.

Scott LeBrun How one responds to the character of Ernest P. Worrell and his feature film vehicles may depend on personal taste. If you enjoy the shtick of the late Jim Varney in this role, you may very well enjoy the movie. It goes without saying that it's going to be awfully silly at times, and it does get rather repetitive as it plays out, but there's still a fair amount of charm and good intentions to the material. Ernest in this case is a good hearted cab driver who makes the acquaintance of Saint Nick, wonderfully played by Douglas Seale. Saint Nick now realizes it's time for another person to take on the persona and perform the duties required, and he believes that person is local children's show host Joe Carruthers (Oliver Clark). Assorted wacky escapades, including an out of control sleigh ride, an airport hanger full of reindeer, and Ernest donning various disguises and pulling various scams, occur along the way. Varney is as enthusiastic and upbeat as ever, and receives decent support from the other actors, especially Seale and Clark. Robert Lesser is amusing as the stereotypically sleazy agent, and the ever delightful Billie Bird can be seen in one of her sweet old lady roles (she and her contemporary Frances Bay really cornered the market on this sort of thing). The screenplay also works into the story, among more traditional Christmas themes, the idea that people shouldn't be too quick to think cynically, or too quick to judge someone, and learn to trust them, as well as the idea of regaining a degree of childhood innocence; this is all applied to the "little girl lost" character of "Harmony" appealingly played by Noelle Parker. One of the nicest parts is when a businessmen (from Canada!) had declared to Santa that if anything he wanted to see snow for Christmas, and gets his wish. Some of the comedy really is too much at times, for example the reindeer scenes with some shameless goofy mugging (not to mention eyeball gags) from Gailard Sartain and Bill Byrge. The business with the horror film within the film may also be seen as questionable; try explaining it to the younger kids, even if it's deliberately designed as being very low rent and cheesy. It's interesting to see that the composer is the aptly named Mark Snow, who went on to be the in-house composer on 'The X-Files'. Overall, a reasonably engaging bit of holiday fare, even if just for nostalgic reasons for those who saw it at a younger age back in '88. Six out of 10.

SeptumSin Christmas is coming, too bad he's in the driver's seat This is a story about how Santa Claus is trying to find a replacement but he is having trouble doing things on his own so a teenage girl and zany cab driver (Ernest) work together to help Santa save Christmas before it's too late for everyone. Will they succeed? Or will Ernest's accident prone nature destroy their chances.Well out of all the Ernest movies that were out there I found only about 4 of them to be any good and this one is definitely one of the good ones. Jim Varney is a great character actor and I feel bad that he had been caged into this role so many times. Of course he is very good at the role and it shows with this film. The comedy is slapstick in nature but highly entertaining with good character interaciton. The acting is passable overall and the story is a fairly good heartwarming one. At this time of year there are a few movies that I consider classic must see's and this is one of those.