Search - Ernest Saves Christmas on DVD

A HOLIDAY CLASSIC

fmwaalex | Austin, TX USA | 01/29/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"ERNEST SAVES CHRISTMAS

I have always loved Jim Varney and especially have always loved his Ernest character of course. Some of the Ernest films have been not so classic but still great while others have been pure classics. This one may not be the best of the classics but it is still one of the classics, mainly because of the heart of the film. Of course it could very well be the best one in the series depending on your taste. This film is really fun but is also one of the better films in the series. The film did very well at the box office debuting at number 2 and over all made something like 28 or 29 million. I believe it was his most successful but I am not sure, I should look that up.

The story is all about Santa Claus getting a bit too old and needed to pass off the duties to a new guy. He has to find the right man for the job and convince him that he is not joking. Of course this would not be a comedy without mishaps and that is what we get, from the start to finish. Santa just can't catch a break in this film losing his bag, his reindeer are stuck at the airport, he runs into a girl who is not to nice, and of course Ernest. Of course Ernest is the nicest guy he has ever come across but bad things seem to happen to him. Add in that the man he wants to be Santa does not really believe him and his sleazy agent may have a huge part for him in a movie. The movie would of course put his morels on the line and that does not sit well with Santa.

So after all that is thrown together so too is Santa and Ernest who must find a way to get the new guy believing by midnight so he can take over the job. If they can do it Christmas lives on but if they fail the holiday is lost forever. Of course we want it to go on so we root for the crazy guy who can do it all in Ernest to pull off a Christmas miracle. Add in two well known guys that are in other Ernest classics, some elves, and a variety of characters Varney plays himself and you have this classic. From the classic opening to the heartfelt moments throughout this film has something for everybody.

Jim Varney is flawless as always in the role of Ernest the care free, good natured and good hearted guy who is always putting others before himself. No one else could ever play this character though some have tried from what I have heard. Also his various other characters that come to life in this film are hilarious from snake guy and on, I love them all. Douglas Seale who plays Santa in this could actually be considered the lead because he has just as much screen time and the film is centered around him does a great job. He is one of the most believable Santa's I have seen on film yet. Oliver Clark is the actor portraying the actor that is to be the next Santa is great in the good guy being lead astray role. The man doing that is his agent played by Robert Lesser who is very funny in the role.

Noelle Parker is great in this film as the girl who needs to find her way back into a more honorable life and make her way home. Gailard Sartain and Bill Byrge are absolutely hilarious and chuck and Bobby and are just as popular in the Ernest films as Ernest himself. These two really needed to be in all of the films but sadly they were not, still I love the ones they were in. Director John R. Cherry III did an excellent job on this film as he did with all of the Ernest films. I really wish he would get hired to do more films because he knew how to make these films work. Writers Ed Turner and B. Kline did a wonderful job penning this because it truly is not only an Ernest classic but a holiday classic as well.

This has got to be one of the best comedies that the whole family can watch especially during the holidays. Ernest films were always full of fun and full of heart and featured wonderful performances from all involved. To be honest this could be the best overall Ernest film out there although Ernest Goes to Camp, Goes to Jail, and Scared Stupid are all classics for sure. Still I can't pick a favorite even amongst ones I didn't name. I recommend this film highly because the film has heart and is very fun, and right now that is the type of film I need.
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