Jury Duty

Maybe there is something wrong with me, but I have always found Pauly Shore to be a mildly funny guy. Apparently I'm one of the few people in the world who thinks so since he no longer has a film career. There was, however, a time in 1990s where Pauly Shore did have a film career and a moderately successful one that. A year before the awful BIO-DOME ended his film career, there was JURY DUTY, possibly the only comedy from the 1990s that is hated as much as BIO-DOME. Currently, JURY DUTY holds a 3.5 user rating here on IMDb, which is undeserved in my opinion. I'm willing to bet half the people that voted a 1 for this movie have never even seen it. They simply voted it a 1 because they are one of the millions of Pauly Shore haters in the world. As I said before, I find him to be somewhat funny, which is probably why I enjoy the film to a certain extent. It's pretty funny for what it is. I enjoy the premise and the energy of the film. It's not a great comedy by any means, but it has some good laughs and Pauly Shore is likable in the lead role. Besides, any movie with Tia Carrere is okay in my book. It's not Pauly Shore's best work, though its passable fun entertainment. Highlights included the opening scene at the strip club and the "penis, penis, penis" scene. My rating: 5/10

Tommy still lives with his parents in a trailer park. He's trying to improve himself, but his parents aren't really pushing him. Though Tommy's father has a dream: collect styrofoam, no matter how dirty, from all the dumpsters and landfills he and Tommy can find, clean it, and recycle it. Oh, yeah, that's the way to live.

One possible job for Tommy: a stripper at the club where his Uncle Sal works. Sal gives him a chance because he's family, but he just hasn't got the talent. Or the body.

Then comes the terrible news: Tommy's parents are finally going to get married. In Las Vegas. But where will he live until they return? The couple who will take care of him are even worse than being homeless.

But wait! That notice Tommy got in the mail about being called for jury duty. He can make a little money doing that, if it's a long trial. And he has to make sure to get a case where he gets sequestered. And, oh yeah, in nearly all situations like this ... do I really have to say what's going to happen?

And the defendant is an accused serial killer who one can't possibly like, with an incompetent lawyer.

One more detail: Although he ends up in a suite with the principal who expelled him from high school and still hates him--and keeps him up all night listening to motivational tapes--Tommy manages to con the hotel into giving him the best accommodations he can ask for!

How have I never seen this? I love Pauly Shore movies. Actually, Shore didn't have quite the edge that I'm used to in this one. He had some great moments when he was trying to make sure he didn't get on the wrong kind of jury, and toward the end he really does a good job, considering he's Pauly Shore.

I was concerned at one point, but the last 20 minutes or so make this movie really worth seeing. Sure, the writers have no concept of what would be legally permissible, and the number of offenses by jurors and other participants that could have resulted in a mistrial or contempt charges would fill a filing cabinet. But it's all entertaining. Eventually.

Tia Carrere is really pretty and she has some good scenes. But it's hard to believe from his performance here that Abe Vigoda was ever part of such a respected show as "Barney Miller".

You pretty much have to like Adam Sandler and Pauly Shore to like a movie of this type.

I can't understand why there are so many poor reviews of this movie. And some to say that this is the worst movie Pauley Shore has ever done. I've seen it about a million times, and I think it is just as hilariois nearly every time I see it. And, sure Pauley Shore's most classic movie may forever be Son in Law, but com'mon, I do not think this is the worse thing he's ever done.

Jury Duty is largely a parody of Twelve Angry Men, and ...And Justice for All. Tommy Collin's (Shore) mom and her soon-to-be husband take their trailor and head off to Vegas for a quickie marriage. So, unemployed Tommy, in need of a place to stay, finds an opportunity for an extended stay at a luxury suite while serving jury duty on a high profile murder trial. The suspect is "Drive Thru Killer," Carl Wayne Bishop (Whalen), and now his fate is to be determined by eleven jurors who just want to vote him guilty and go home, and one juror (Tommy) who wants to prolong the jury sequestering as long as he can. Eventually, it turns into a parody of Twelve Angry Men when Tommy, trying to prove Carl Wayne Bishop's innocence, must find a way to prove to the other jurors that reasonable doubt exists.

If you know Pauley Shore, you know that going to be no easy task, but it is also going to be a hilarious endeavor. And the supporting cast of jurors are just as funny as they become ever more irritable as it seems like a verdict is never going to be reached, especially Richard Edson and Sean Whalen.

So why all the negative reviews? It is such a stupid story, so stupid that it is funny. And it is Pauley Shore, doing what Pauley Shore does best, acting like a total nut and having a blast doing it. For a load of laughs and a waste of some time, Jury Duty is not a bad choice.

I think this was possibly Pauly Shore's best performance (to date)! I have never understood why people don't like him. My theory has always been him humor is over a lot of people's heads. To the casual observer his humor may appear very low brow, but if you pay any real attention and are smart enough to understand where the Weasel's coming from then you'll find a lot of enjoyment in his work! I solidly recommend "Jury Duty" to anyone bright enough to be looking for a wild subversive romp through America's legal system with a true comedy genius! I am anxiously awaiting Pauly's next movie!

Typical Pauly Shore fare that has him stalling the verdict on a murder trial so he can stay in a plush hotel longer. Naturally he has cut a deal to be in the President's suite of a different inn than the other jurors. Anyway as time progresses, it appears that Shore might be on to something when he tries to convince the others that the case is not as cut-and-dried as it appears. Some outstanding performers (most notably Shelley Winters, Charles Napier, Tia Carrere and Stanley Tucci) somehow found their way on this downer. 2 stars out of 5.