There are few things in the United States more dreaded than doing hard time. However, movies sometimes manage to squeeze humor out of such an intangible-to-most experience.
"Let's Go to Prison" takes a cynical look at the American justice system while maintaining a light-hearted tone.
John Lyshitski (Dax Shepard, "Employee of the Month") is a small-time crook that can't seem to stay out of prison. His personal vendetta against the judge who keeps putting him away leads him to frame the judge's son, Nelson Biederman IV (Will Arnett, "RV"). The kid is eventually sent to jail, and Lyshitski along with him, conveniently as his cellmate.
Frustratingly, "Let's Go to Prison" has the potential to be a great comedy. The concept is simple enough, and seems to have plenty of opportunities for quasi-political gags. Co-written by Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon ("Reno 911!"), the film's script yields some hilarious moments, partnered with some pretty smart dialogue.
Early on, Lyshitski is offered a lap dance by an elderly stripper to which the haggard parolee said, "Nah, I'm not that horny. I just got out of prison." For the most part, the film's humor is dry and filled with one-liners.
While there are a few smart amusements, ultimately "Let's Go to Prison" is dull and dumb. For a film that clocks in at just 80 minutes, far too much time and energy is spent setting up and carrying out pointless twists in the plot.
Shepard portrays Lysthitski with a tired, emotionless demeanor.
Biederman is more flamboyant and Arnett manages to do a fairly decent job of getting some silly laughs. The pasty fool singing along with "Shake Your Body" behind the wheel of his luxury sedan will wrench smiles out of most.
However, the chemistry between Shepard and Arnett is far from praise-worthy. For the most part, it seems almost any actor could have been plugged in for either one of them and it wouldn't have mattered.
Most of the film's humor is served up by the enormous homosexual prisoner Barry, (Chi McBride, "Waiting") who is instantly attracted to Biederman. McBride also fills the contradicting role of "old man wisdom," and whispers his way through plenty of gay scenarios.
Although "Let's Go to Prison" is a bonafide comedy, a semi-serious undertone exists that is very much against the American justice system. The opening narration covers a wide-range of disturbing statistics aimed at the prison system. For example, "every year enough children are born in prison to fill 250 little league teams."
While the agenda is bold and admirable for a comedy, it is often woven into the film with an approach that is lacking in skill. One minute, it's some good jailhouse humor. The next, it might as well be Morgan Spurlock reading off nauseating stats for "Supersize Me!" The point is clearly made, but the ongoing attempts to rip apart the American justice system become overdone and distracting to the films flow.
Thankfully, masterminds Garant and Lennon will return to their television roots with "Reno 911!" soon enough.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
