“Judge Ito! Have some of my burrito!”

Justin’s rating: 12 angry critics hated this movie

Justin’s review: If you have strong feelings — positive or negative — about the infamous Pauly Shore movie era, you may be surprised how he quickly peaked and crashed in the span of just a few short years (1992-1996). Shore launched into leading man status with Encino Man and Son in Law (his best), did a solid in A Goofy Movie, and started to careen downhill in In the Army Now and Jury Duty before hitting rock bottom with Bio-Dome. I consider the first three his good trilogy and the latter to be his Unholy Trio.

Then again, I haven’t seen Jury Duty since the ’90s, so maybe my memory was too harsh? It’s time to rewatch this and see if there’s a legal loophole in the comedy clause to pull out a “not guilty” verdict!

I don’t know who thought it was a good idea to start this movie with the premise that Pauly Shore could be an exotic dancer at a “beefcakes” club, but already I want to stab the screen. Shore plays Tommy, a slacker loser (we had no other type in the Gen X actor lineup) who’s so desperate to find a place to live that he sneaks into a jury summons for the free accommodations (plus five bucks a day).

So I guess the big joke here is that while everyone wants this murder trial to get done so that they can get back to their lives, Tommy wants to extend it indefinitely to keep his cushy hotel pad. Cue wacky hijinks in and out of the courtroom.

But because this setup and Shore’s Weasel routine isn’t enough to cover more than 15 minutes, this movie throws in a regrettable romance with Tia Carrere and a convoluted mystery involving some killer who’s really mad at polystyrene containers at fast food restaurants. I have to smile a little at how none of this would make much sense to modern audiences since few places use those anymore.

Also aging poorly are the several references to OJ Simpson and his trial — I guess because that’s all ’90s audiences knew of the court system at the time?

Usually in these kinds of movies, the implied question is, “Wouldn’t you love to hang out with this main character and be his or her best bud?” And in response to that, all I could think of is that it would be a very cruel hell indeed to be confined to a hotel where Paul Shore’s manchild impulses were everywhere and inescapable.

Directed by Night at the Roxbury’s John Fortenberry, Jury Duty is the very definition of an unfunny comedy. Pauly Shore needed a better concept and more interesting co-stars to bounce off of, but here he hogs the stand solo while we’re forced to watch him operate with no restraint or refinement.

So yeah, this film is as bad as I remember. It’s a 90-minute tour through wasted space, Exhibit A for why Pauly Shore wasn’t meant to anchor major — or minor — motion pictures. Guilty and sentenced to execution.

Intermission!

• Working in that “scales of justice” thing into your logo is a little awkward
• Girls don’t like it when you spit milk all over them
• I think the Beefcakes song is the same music that they played at the mall in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
• “Cream Machine” is an awful name for a dancer
• Andrew Dice Clay continues to slum it through the ’90s
• “Hey mom look, safe sex!” [kisses the TV]
• If you’re accused of murder, maybe don’t growl at the court?
• A lot of interest in tuna salad here
• Oh and a Speed reference on the bus. Timely.
• Does any hotel really need an introduction and a tour?
• Tommy asking his former principal to “be excused” was slightly amusing
• Oh no, dream sequence
• Sharing a hang glider with three people seems impractical
• “You can’t object, this is my opening argument!”
• Wait, WHY did his head explode?
• Serial killers are motivated by penis envy
• Where did he get the duck?
• I don’t think we asked for and needed a jury room deliberation montage
• “You’re a duck-billed platypus!”
• Prisons have a “last meals menu”
• Ack Pauly Shore in drag
• Dogs love Jeopardy!
• This was extremely loosely based on 12 Angry Men, and it should go without saying that you should watch that instead