In the Army Now

1994

Directed by Daniel Petrie, Jr.

Welcome back to Movie Monday, where we’re continuing our journey through my personal list of the worst movies ever made. Today we’re diving into number 68 on the list: the 1994 military “comedy” In the Army Now, starring Pauly Shore. As always, remember that these rankings are purely subjective – one person’s cinematic torture might be another’s guilty pleasure. But folks, this one’s rough.

The Disney Years: When Pauly Shore Was Everywhere

Before we dive into this particular misfire, let’s set the scene. By 1994, Pauly Shore had become an unlikely box office draw. After breaking out on MTV with his “Weasel” persona, Disney saw potential in the curly-haired comedian and signed him to a three-picture deal. The first two films – Encino Man and Son in Law – were modest hits that established Shore’s signature style of California surfer-meets-stoner comedy. In the Army Now was meant to be the crown jewel of this trilogy. It wasn’t.

The Plot (If We Can Call It That)

The film follows Bones Conway (Shore) and Jack Kaufman (Andy Dick) – two slacker electronics store employees who join the Army Reserves thinking it’ll be an easy way to get startup money for their own store. Their recruiting officer sells them on the classic “one weekend a month, two weeks a year” pitch, and they choose water purification as their specialty because Bones’ brother was a pool man. Yes, that’s actually the reasoning given in the film.

Of course, they end up deployed to Chad during a conflict with Libya, where they must transform from bumbling recruits into unlikely heroes. If this sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because this exact plot was done much better in 1981’s Stripes with Bill Murray. The difference? Stripes had sharp writing, genuine chemistry between its leads, and most importantly, actual jokes that landed.

Where It All Goes Wrong

The problems with In the Army Now start early and pile up faster than Shore can say “buuuuddy.” First, there’s the painful attempted chemistry between Shore and Andy Dick, two comedic actors whose styles clash like plaid with polka dots. While Bill Murray and Harold Ramis in Stripes felt like natural friends whose rapport drove the story, Shore and Dick feel like they met five minutes before filming began.

The film’s attempts at fish-out-of-water humor largely fall flat because Shore’s character never really evolves. In Son in Law, at least we saw his character genuinely try to adapt to farm life while maintaining his personality. Here, he just bumbles through military training with his usual schtick, undermining any potential for real character growth or genuine fish-out-of-water moments.

The Military “Comedy” Problem

Perhaps the biggest issue is that the film can’t decide if it wants to be a straight-up comedy or an action movie with comedic elements. The third act suddenly shifts into serious territory with chemical weapons, POW situations, and military combat. It’s like watching two different movies fighting for supremacy, and both are losing.

There’s a scene where Shore’s character must destroy a Scud missile launcher, and instead of playing it for legitimate tension or clear comedy, the film awkwardly straddles both. He fires a rocket backward first (comedy!) before successfully completing the mission (action!). This tonal whiplash is emblematic of the entire film’s identity crisis.

The Supporting Cast Deserves Better

One of the few bright spots is Lori Petty as Christine Jones, who somehow manages to maintain her dignity throughout the proceedings. The same can’t be said for Esai Morales, a talented actor stuck in the thankless role of the stern sergeant who (surprise!) eventually comes to appreciate our heroes’ unorthodox methods. If this sounds like a pale imitation of Warren Oates’ Sergeant Hulka from Stripes, that’s because it absolutely is.

The Legacy (Or Lack Thereof)

In the Army Now marked the beginning of the end for Shore’s brief reign as a leading man. While it wasn’t a complete box office disaster, earning around $28 million, it represented a significant drop from his previous films. More importantly, it exposed the limitations of his comedy style when not properly supported by a strong script or direction.

The film also effectively killed the military comedy genre for several years. While Stripes had proved you could make a smart, funny film about military life that appealed to both civilians and service members, In the Army Now demonstrated how not to do it. The genre wouldn’t really recover until Office Space creator Mike Judge gave us Pentagon Wars, a much sharper military satire.

Final Thoughts

What’s particularly frustrating about In the Army Now is that there was potential here. A comedy about reservists suddenly thrust into active duty could have been timely and insightful while still being funny. Instead, we got a film that relies on tired fish-out-of-water tropes and Shore’s increasingly grating persona.

Join us next week when we’ll look at number 67 on our list: Jury Duty, which, yes, stars Pauly Shore. Sometimes the universe has a cruel sense of humor.

Fun Fact

Keep an eye out for a brief cameo by Brendan Fraser, reprising his role as Link from Encino Man. This actually makes In the Army Now part of what fans call the “Pauly Shore Cinematic Universe,” as Fraser’s character also appears in Son in Law. I wish I was making this up.