BEFORE: After all the murder trials, class-action suits, and mob intimidation, maybe a goofy comedy is called for. And it gives me birthday SHOUT-out #9 to Pauly Shore, born 2/1/68, who I met at Comic-Con last year.
THE PLOT: When jobless Tommy Collins discovers that sequestered jurors earn free room and board as well as $5-a-day, he gets himself assigned to a jury in a murder trial. Once there, he does everything he can to prolong the trial and deliberations and make the sequestration more comfortable for himself.
AFTER: This is another spin on the "12 Angry Men" formula, with one man disagreeing with 11 others on a jury - but in this case, the holdout is motivated by the prospect of free meals and free hotel - he even gets the idea to do so from watching the Henry Fonda film itself. Come on, you didn't expect a Pauly Shore character to have an original thought, did you?
And it's unfortunate that this vehicle was wasted on Da Weasel - I think it could have been funnier with say, Pee-Wee Herman serving on a jury. Or even Adam Sandler, or well, pretty much anyone would be better in the title role. Funny, though - in the early hours of Groundhog Day I was finishing a film with a Weasel...
And points off for ripping off the ending of "Strange Brew" - you can spoof "12 Angry Men", "And Justice For All" and even "Speed", but leave my favorite movies alone. More points off for making me view Pauly Shore as a male stripper, and also dressed up as a woman.
Also starring Tia Carrere (last seen in "Rising Sun"), Stanley Tucci (last seen in "Road to Perdition"), Brian Doyle-Murray (last seen in "Christmas Vacation"), cameos from Shelley Winters (last seen in "The Poseidon Adventure"), Abe Vigoda, and Andrew Dice Clay, and character actors Jack McGee (last seen in "Miracle on 34th Street"), Richard Edson, Richard Riehle (last seen in "Lethal Weapon 4").
RATING: 2 out of 10 styrofoam cups
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