I'm not a hater of Pauly Shore by any means, he can be a very funny guy and I rather liked Biodome which came after this film. But this one really stretched Shore's smart aleck personality way too far.
Jury Duty is now something I try to avoid figuring that back in the day I served on three of them at one time or another. And the next time I'm eligible I would be over 70 years old and would get an automatic exemption should I choose. But if you have nothing else to do, your life isn't going anywhere, why not take that magnificent sum of $5.00 a day for service.
That's what Shore figures when his mother Shelley Winters and her long time boyfriend Charles Napier get married and he's at loose ends. And wouldn't you know it, he gets on the jury of an accused serial killer, Sean Whalen. Shore however finds a way to make Jury Duty not only profitable, but quite comfortable.
Whalen is accused of butchering and dismembering several fast food managers when he's found sleeping at the place their bodies were stashed. If he didn't do it his hopes for justice rest on the shoulders of Pauly Shore a fate I'd not wish on anyone.
Pauly gets way too over the top in Jury Duty and you'd better like him if you have any hopes of liking this film. Also I just can't believe that fellow juror Tia Carrere would ever fall for someone like Shore. But that's movie magic for you.
Among other places Pauly takes his cues from is that flawed classic 12 Angry Men. When I reviewed that I said that Henry Fonda's actions, one in particular would have been grounds for a mistrial. Ironically because of what Shore does, Judge Abe Vigoda does declare a mistrial.
Justice does get served in a highly unusual manner. If that pleases you by all means see Jury Duty. Otherwise people who are not Pauly Shore's fans will have a hard time with this film.