Ernest Saves Christmas

Ernest Saves Christmas (1988)

  • 38% of critics liked it
    (13 reviews)

  • 43% of users liked it
    (47,446 ratings)

When Santa Claus decides to retire, he appoints a washed-up kiddie show host (Douglas Seale) to take his place. Along the way, the real Santa ends up in the slammer on Christmas Eve, and it's up to goonish, glad-handing Ernest P. Worrall (Jim Varney) to bust him out. Varney plays a handful of… More

PG, 1 hr. 31 min.
Directed By
John R. Cherry III
Genres
Comedy, Kids & Family
In Theaters
Nov 11, 1988 Wide
On DVD
Sep 3, 2002

Critic Reviews

  • Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media

    Goofy holiday movie is OK fun for families, knowwhatImean?

  • Steve Crum, Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers

    Typical yet frequently goofy fun Ernest flick.

  • Luke Y. Thompson, New Times

    A Christmas classic. Jim Varney is sorely missed in my heart.

  • Gerry Shamray, Sun Newspapers of Cleveland

    Ernest's best film. Actually quite funny.

  • Ryan Cracknell, Movie Views

    A reminder [that] movies don't always have to be deep or artful to be enjoyable. Sometimes all you need is fun and a short nostalgia fix.

Read all 7 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Stacy A


    A perfect Christmas movie that I can watch any day of the year. This is the second 'Ernest' film that I just love. Jim Varney was such a humble, great actor. I've watched all of Jim Varney's movies, Ernest and non-Ernest, but I find myself always going back to… More

  • Wahida K


    ERNEST MY TV BUDDY. LOL I secretly own all the Ernest DVDs.

  • Film C


    entertainig and vaguly amusing! woth a watch

  • Anthony L


    One of the only Christmas films out there that I can watch quite happily in the summer!

  • Jason O


    When I was a kid and I first saw this movie, it was one of my favorites. Now I'm 20 and I watched it again, and I still like it. Ernest (Jim Varney) unwillingly tries to help out a retiring Santa Claus in order to save Christmas. It takes "Ernest Saves Christmas" a… More

Read all 13 featured audience ratings

Cast

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