This is the first scripted comedy Pauly Shore has starred in since Bio-Dome in 1996. Sure, he made cameos in some comedies, but he hasn't truly been the star role in a slapstick comedy in well over a decade. Whiskey Business, a CMT made for TV movie, which the network doesn't have a lot of, is Pauly's third attempt at bringing his wacky schtick to life in a new decade. His first two attempts, Adopted and Pauly Shore is Dead, were mockumentaries that showcases the man himself adopting children from Africa and faking his own dead.
I've mentioned before in reviews of previous Pauly Shore films that he is the most eclectic of tastes. He isn't everyone's type. Personally, I find him rather amusing. He can be irritating, but he possesses such an impressive amount of energy and confidence in his material that he must be respected in that sense. In Whiskey Business, he pursues the fish out of water formula, a formula he has explored before with Son in Law. Here, he brings a more convincing sweetness to the screen, especially during the second and third acts.
Shore plays Nicky Ferelli, the son of a New Jersey mob boss, who enjoys drinking, party, and acting like a Guido. Shore has ditched his nineties apparel for spray-tanned skin, spiked hair, and Jersey Shore duds. The look shows that Shore himself is struggling to keep up with trendy times, especially after disappearing for a good couple of years. When Nicky is framed for a murder, he hitches a ride on the back of a truck where he ends up in Shinbone, Tennessee, where everyone is hellbent on country dancing and drinking some moonshine.
When Nicky gets a hold of some moonshine, he finds it repulsive and, after being taken in by a sweet old woman, decides to help the town get something tastier in its bars. He is motivated by a sweet and capable bartender, played by Tanya Tucker and her nitwit brother as Nicky struggles to find a winning recipe and hide from the town's corrupt officer Gilley (Schneider).
The film is dollar store entertainment, but dollar store entertainment done well. In a time of overly-raunchy comedies and directionless parodies, Shore's Whiskey Business is a sweet and welcomed excursion, even if it fails to break new ground. When you have a likable cast, a sufficient script, and an amusing premise, sometimes miracles do happen.
I was a tiny bit nervous when I realized Shore would be leading the film by himself. Here's a guy that has acted with every unknown comedy actor on the planet, from Sean Astin, to Stephen Baldwin, to Andy Dick. Having his goofball antics lead an entire film with no backup sounding overbearing and a bit oppressive. Thankfully, the townspeople get well-deserved time in front of the camera, so Shore isn't hogging any camera-time.
Whiskey Business is simple and effective comedy entertainment, for a decent mass. It's strange how CMT acquired the money to produce a film like this. Aside from the southern setting and maybe one or two country songs, this really isn't a country movie. When looking through the programming on the network, it seems they want to be as stereotypical as possible with shows like Trick My Truck among others. I guess if you can't beat 'em, boast it.
Starring: Pauly Shore, Tanya Tucker, and John Schneider. Directed by: Robert Iscove.
