Movies Like Ernest Goes to Jail (1990)

Ernest Goes to Jail is a 1990 comedy, crime, family film from John Cherry with a MovieMagicScore of 5.0/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Ernest Goes to Camp and Ernest Saves Christmas.

Comedy Crime Family

Ernest Goes to Camp

1987

Ernest, a lovable loser who works as a summer camp handyman and dreams of becoming a guidance counselor, must find a way to inspire a group of juvenile delinquents while stopping a shady strip mining company from closing the camp as well.

5.3

MagicScore

Ernest Saves Christmas

1988

When Santa Claus decides to retire and pass on his magic bag of Christmas surprises to a new Saint Nick, he enlists the aid of a hilarious assortment of characters. A perky teen runaway and hapless taxi driver Ernest P. Worrell must convince a skeptical kiddie-show host to take over the post of Father Christmas.

5.3

MagicScore

Ernest Scared Stupid

1991

Well-intentioned, eternally bumbling Ernest P. Worrell accidentally releases an evil demon from its sacred tomb. As the demon flexes its power and goes on a ruinous rampage, good-guy Ernest tries to step in to save the town from mass destruction. Trouble is, a 200-year-old curse has scared Ernest stupid, and that means hilarity all around! So, kick back and let the laugh-ridden adventures begin.

5.3

MagicScore

Ernest Rides Again

1993

Buffoonish Ernest and his dimwitted pal Abner unearth a huge cannon reputed to contain the crown jewels of England.

4.2

MagicScore

Ernest Goes to School

1994

Jim Varney's recurring dim-bulb character Ernest P. Worrell returns in this film as a school janitor seeking to obtain a high school diploma.

4.0

MagicScore

Slam Dunk Ernest

1995

Ernest P. Worrell becomes a basketball star after an angel bearing an uncanny resemblance to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gives him a pair of magic sneakers.

4.2

MagicScore

Ernest Goes to Africa

1997

The title says it all. There's a mix up involving stolen diamonds which Ernest has (naturally) made into a yo-yo and given to his would be girlfriend, Rene. But Rene wants a man of action, and doesn't think that Ernest fits the bill. After the bad guys come looking for the stolen diamonds and kidnap Rene, all of her fantasies come true as Ernest has to go to Africa to rescue her.

4.2

MagicScore

Ernest in the Army

1998

Ernest P. Worrell is now in the military as a soldier. Once he begins, him and his team investigates a dictator who was responsible for the wars in the nearly village. Suddenly, Ernest finds a lost boy and has to keep him safe until his father recovers.

3.9

MagicScore

Marley & Me

2008

A newly married couple, in the process of starting a family, learn many of life's important lessons from their trouble-loving retriever, Marley. Packed with plenty of laughs to lighten the load, the film explores the highs and lows of marriage, maturity and confronting one's own mortality, as seen through the lens of family life with a dog.

7.2

MagicScore

#10

Crush

2022

When an aspiring young artist is forced to join her high school track team, she uses it as an opportunity to pursue the girl she's been harboring a long-time crush on. But she soon finds herself falling for an unexpected teammate and discovers what real love feels like.

7.4

MagicScore

#11

How to Train Your Dragon

2010

As the son of a Viking leader on the cusp of manhood, shy Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III faces a rite of passage: he must kill a dragon to prove his warrior mettle. But after downing a feared dragon, he realizes that he no longer wants to destroy it, and instead befriends the beast – which he names Toothless – much to the chagrin of his warrior father.

7.9

MagicScore

#12

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within

2010

After a bloody invasion of the BOPE in the High-Security Penitentiary Bangu 1 in Rio de Janeiro to control a rebellion of interns, the Lieutenant-Colonel Roberto Nascimento and the second in command Captain André Matias are accused by the Human Right Aids member Diogo Fraga of execution of prisoners. Matias is transferred to the corrupted Military Police and Nascimento is exonerated from the BOPE by the Governor.

7.8

MagicScore

#13

Hard Paint

2019

Pedro earns a living in chat rooms. He transforms himself into NeonBoy in front of the webcam. Slowly, this young man dips his fingers into pots of coloured paint and glides them across his naked body. But things change when Pedro notices that somebody is imitating his performances. He agrees to go on a date with his mysterious rival. This rendezvous will have far-reaching consequences.

6.3

MagicScore

#14

Meskina

2021

A thirty-something aspiring children's author, labeled "meskina" (pity case) by her Moroccan-Dutch community for still being career-less and single, sets out to once and for all find professional success and true love.

5.9

MagicScore

#15

Theater Camp

2023

After the indomitable and beloved founder of a scrappy theater camp in upstate New York falls into a coma, the eccentric staff must band together with her clueless "crypto-bro" son to keep the thespian paradise afloat.

6.5

MagicScore

#16

The Moment

2026

A rising pop sensation navigates fame and industry pressures while preparing for her arena tour debut, revealing the transformation of underground culture into mainstream success.

6.4

MagicScore

#17

How to Train Your Dragon 2

2014

Five years have passed since Hiccup and Toothless united the dragons and Vikings of Berk. Now, they spend their time charting unmapped territories. During one of their adventures, the pair discover a secret cave that houses hundreds of wild dragons -- and a mysterious dragon rider. Now, Hiccup and Toothless find themselves at the center of a battle to protect Berk from a power-hungry warrior.

7.7

MagicScore

#18

Marie Antoinette

2006

The retelling of France’s iconic but ill-fated queen, Marie Antoinette - from her betrothal and marriage to Louis XVI at fifteen to her reign as queen at nineteen and ultimately the fall of Versailles.

6.7

MagicScore

#19

Three Summers

2020

Over a trio of summers, a caretaker for luxury condominiums relies on her resourcefulness and her eye for opportunity to take advantage of whatever comes her way.

6.4

MagicScore

#20

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion

1997

Two not-too-bright party girls reinvent themselves for their high school reunion. Armed with a borrowed Jaguar, new clothes and the story of their success as the inventors of Post-It notes, Romy and Michele descend on their alma mater, but their façade crumbles quickly.

6.2

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Ernest Goes to Jail?

The top films similar to Ernest Goes to Jail by MovieMagicScore are Ernest Goes to Camp (5.3), Ernest Saves Christmas (5.3), Ernest Scared Stupid (5.3). Each shares comedy/crime/family themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Ernest Goes to Jail worth watching?

Ernest Goes to Jail holds a MovieMagicScore of 5.0/10 from 163 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Ernest Goes to Jail?

Ernest Goes to Jail (1990) is a comedy, crime, family film directed by John Cherry, starring Jim Varney, Gailard Sartain, Bill Byrge.

Where can I find more recommendations like Ernest Goes to Jail?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more comedy recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Ernest Goes to Camp Movies like Ernest Saves Christmas Movies like Ernest Scared Stupid Movies like Ernest Rides Again Movies like Ernest Goes to School Movies like Slam Dunk Ernest

About movies like Ernest Goes to Jail

This ranked list pairs Ernest Goes to Jail (1990), a comedy and crime and family film from John Cherry, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Jim Varney take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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