Alright, fellow tapeheads, settle into that worn spot on the couch. Remember that feeling? Wandering the aisles of the local video store, fluorescent lights buzzing overhead, the promise of weekend entertainment stacked high on the shelves. Sometimes you grabbed a guaranteed blockbuster, other times... you took a chance. And sometimes, that chance involved Pauly Shore in camouflage. Yes, we're diving deep into the neon-splashed, slang-filled world of 1994's In the Army Now.
This wasn't exactly Platoon, folks. It wasn't even Stripes (1981), though it clearly wanted some of that misfit-military magic. Instead, In the Army Now is pure, uncut 90s Pauly Shore, serving up his unique "Weasel" persona for Uncle Sam. The premise is wafer-thin but perfectly serviceable for the star's brand of comedy: Shore plays slacker Bones Conway, who, along with his equally ambition-free buddy Jack Kaufman (Andy Dick), decides the Army Reserve is the quickest path to easy money and minimal effort. Spoiler alert: they were hilariously wrong.
### Basic Training, Maximum Goofiness
What follows is essentially Shore's shtick transposed onto a military base. Think less tactical precision, more tripping over obstacle courses and mangling drill sergeant commands. Director Daniel Petrie Jr., who ironically penned the much tighter action-comedy script for Beverly Hills Cop (1984) and directed the underrated Toy Soldiers (1991), seems content here to just let Pauly be Pauly. The film leans heavily on slapstick and Shore's signature "bu-ddy" laced dialogue. It's repetitive, sure, but there's an undeniable, almost innocent energy to it.
The supporting cast tries gamely to keep up. Andy Dick matches Shore's energy with his own brand of quirky weirdness, making them a believable pair of underachievers. A standout is Lori Petty as Christine Jones, the tough-as-nails drill sergeant who inevitably becomes a reluctant ally (and perhaps more?). Fresh off memorable roles in Point Break (1991) and A League of Their Own (1992), Petty brings a grounded presence that somehow makes the surrounding absurdity even funnier. It's almost charming watching her try to maintain military discipline amidst the Shore-nanigans. We also get reliable comedic support from David Alan Grier and a surprisingly straight-laced turn from Esai Morales as Sergeant Stern.
### From Fort Sill to Foreign Sands (Sort Of)
One interesting retro fun fact: despite the plot eventually sending our heroes to North Africa (specifically Chad, mistaken for Libya in a plot point), much of the desert warfare action was filmed closer to home. The production utilized locations in Yuma, Arizona, and parts of California to stand in for the African desert. You can almost feel the dry heat shimmering off that grainy VHS picture, can't you? Filming reportedly took place during a blistering summer, adding a layer of real discomfort for the actors layered under the comedic antics.
The shift from basic training hijinks to an actual (albeit brief and comedically handled) combat scenario in the latter half feels a bit jarring. Suddenly, the water purification specialists are dodging real bullets. It’s played mostly for laughs, focusing on their ineptitude rather than genuine peril, but it does give the film a slightly broader scope than just barracks buffoonery. Remember how those battlefield explosions and squib hits looked back then? No slick CGI cleanup – just practical pops and bangs that felt satisfyingly chunky on our old CRT screens. It’s a world away from today’s digital warfare, carrying a tangible, almost handmade quality.
It’s also worth noting that the script reportedly went through several hands – five writers are credited! That often signals a bumpy creative process, perhaps explaining the film’s somewhat episodic feel and tonal shifts. It feels less like a tightly structured narrative and more like a series of loosely connected sketches designed to showcase Pauly Shore.
### The Verdict from the Video Bunker
Look, let's be honest. In the Army Now was never destined for critical acclaim. It currently sits at a frosty 6% on Rotten Tomatoes, and critics at the time were largely unimpressed. Its $20 million budget yielded a modest $28.8 million at the box office (around $60 million today – respectable, but not a smash). But box office and critical scores rarely told the whole story back in the VHS days, did they?
This movie found its true home on rental shelves and cable TV replays. It was the perfect background noise for a pizza night, a reliable source of low-stakes chuckles carried almost entirely by Shore's polarizing, yet undeniably era-specific, charm. I distinctly remember grabbing this tape, the colourful cover promising exactly the kind of goofy escapism it delivered. It's dumb, it's dated, and the humour is as subtle as a grenade launcher. But there's an affection there, a nostalgia for a time when a movie this unapologetically silly could get made and find its audience.
VHS Heaven Rating: 4/10
Justification: The score reflects a film that's objectively weak in plot and relies heavily on a comedic style that hasn't aged particularly well. However, it earns points for sheer nostalgic value, Lori Petty's game performance, and its status as a pure distillation of the early 90s Pauly Shore phenomenon. It delivers exactly what it promises, even if that promise is decidedly low-brow.
Final Thought: In the Army Now is a time capsule filled with faded camo, questionable slang, and the echo of "Wheezin' the juice!" – a film best enjoyed with lowered expectations and maybe a fuzzy memory of Friday nights at the video store. Check your brain at the door, bu-ddy.