In sunny Orlando, Florida, eccentric taxi driver Ernest P. Worell (Jim Varney) goes above and beyond to make his customers happy. When he picks up his latest fare, Ernest learns he is driving none other than Santa Claus (Douglas Seale). Santa is on a mission to convince Joe Carruthers (Oliver Clark) to take over the role of Santa, as the role of Santa gets passed down once the magic wears off. Ernest is now in a race against time to try and save Christmas with the help of Harmony (Noelle Parker), who stumbled into this sticky situation.
John R. Cherry III is in the director's chair, as he is for the Ernest series, to lead the team on a Christmas adventure. The film is fast-paced and in your face. The use of wide angle lenses as our actors, mainly Varney's Ernest, get up close and personal with the audience. The team even breaks the fourth wall as Ernest and Harmony treat the viewer as if they're Vern, Ernest's friend, whose identity is never revealed. This film even has some exciting car stunts to start the film off.
Varney proves to be a top character actor as he portrays not only Ernest, but other characters in his pursuit to save Santa. Speaking of Santa, Douglas Seale plays a Santa who is slowing down and becoming forgetful. This is a great decision by the writing team and the actor to sell the main plot point. Noelle Parker's Harmony has the largest character arc in the film, as she struggles with finally getting what she wants or doing the right thing. And the duo of Chuck and Bobby (Gailard Sartain and Bill Byrge) trying to contain a herd of reindeer is a nice touch to add to the laughs.
This film has its motivations, and they are juvenile. The entire cast and crew set out to create a certain type of film, and they succeed in doing so. The entire film plays out like an extended sketch comedy show. This can be off-putting for older audiences, especially those who are not familiar with the character of Ernest. It's all done with heart, even if it can be overbearing at times.
Ernest Saves Christmas fits into the series of Ernest films and is one of the better outings. A film to watch with the family, Ernest is here to put a smile on everyone's face. The plot line with Santa is an added bonus and a clever way to expand the Santa mythos.
John R. Cherry III is in the director's chair, as he is for the Ernest series, to lead the team on a Christmas adventure. The film is fast-paced and in your face. The use of wide angle lenses as our actors, mainly Varney's Ernest, get up close and personal with the audience. The team even breaks the fourth wall as Ernest and Harmony treat the viewer as if they're Vern, Ernest's friend, whose identity is never revealed. This film even has some exciting car stunts to start the film off.
Varney proves to be a top character actor as he portrays not only Ernest, but other characters in his pursuit to save Santa. Speaking of Santa, Douglas Seale plays a Santa who is slowing down and becoming forgetful. This is a great decision by the writing team and the actor to sell the main plot point. Noelle Parker's Harmony has the largest character arc in the film, as she struggles with finally getting what she wants or doing the right thing. And the duo of Chuck and Bobby (Gailard Sartain and Bill Byrge) trying to contain a herd of reindeer is a nice touch to add to the laughs.
This film has its motivations, and they are juvenile. The entire cast and crew set out to create a certain type of film, and they succeed in doing so. The entire film plays out like an extended sketch comedy show. This can be off-putting for older audiences, especially those who are not familiar with the character of Ernest. It's all done with heart, even if it can be overbearing at times.
Ernest Saves Christmas fits into the series of Ernest films and is one of the better outings. A film to watch with the family, Ernest is here to put a smile on everyone's face. The plot line with Santa is an added bonus and a clever way to expand the Santa mythos.