In 1890s London, two friends use the same pseudonym ("Ernest") for their on-the-sly activities. Hilarity ensues.

Two young gentlemen (Rupert Everett as Algy, Colin Firth as Jack) living in 1890's England use the same pseudonym ("Ernest") on the sly, which is fine until they both fall in love with women using that name, which leads to a comedy of mistaken identities.—arson83

Whenever Jack Worthing (Colin Firth) slips away to London from his Hertfordshire estate, he says he is going to see his (fictitious) wayward brother Ernest. Once there, he keeps his privacy by calling himself "Ernest," luckily so as his beloved Gwendolen (Frances O'Connor) declares she could only love an Ernest. Her cousin Algy (Rupert Everett) is the one person who knows Jack's secret and one day he travels down to the estate, announcing himself to Jack's attractive ward Cecily (Reese Witherspoon) as bad brother Ernest. Cecily is much taken with him and with his name, so on Jack's return home and Gwendolen's unexpected arrival, it becomes clear there are both too many and too few Ernests earnestly courting.—J-26

Two young gentlemen living in 1890's England have taken to bending the truth in order to put some excitement into their lives. Jack Worthing (Colin Firth) has invented a brother, "Earnest," who he uses as an excuse to leave his dull country life behind to visit the ravishing Gwendolen (Frances O'Connor). Algy Montcrieff (Rupert Everett) decides to take the name 'Ernest' when visiting Worthing's young and beautiful ward, Cecily (Reese Witherspoon), at the country manor. Things start to go awry when they end up together in the country, and their deceptions are discovered, threatening to spoil their romantic pursuits.—Scorpiessa