Movie Club- Season 4 - Weekend At Bernies ( Reviewing Thread)

[megvoh]

Our movie to review was dollhouse's choice:

WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S



(1989)
PG-13 | 1h 37min | Adventure, Comedy, Crime

Story line is :

Two young men are trying to make their way in a corporation. One on charm, the other on hard work. When they go to the president (Bernie) with a serious financial error on a printout, he pretends to be thrilled and invites them to his beach house for the weekend. He actually plans on having them killed. Bernie is also fooling around with the girlfriend of his mafia partner. When the partner has Bernie killed, the boys end up having to pretend Bernie is still alive as the frustrated hit man tries time and time again to complete the job.

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[MENTION=78654]dollhouse[/MENTION] [MENTION=81349]topazlight[/MENTION] [MENTION=71386]TheEvilJester[/MENTION] [MENTION=70280]Jffs24[/MENTION] [MENTION=42177]pcmaster[/MENTION] [MENTION=78034]breathe123[/MENTION] [MENTION=12883]bloodtippedrose[/MENTION] [MENTION=70896]Exeter19[/MENTION]

These are all the posters who submitted movies to be chosen to review this round - but all other members in the movie club can chime in and post on this thread if they would like, you know who you are, even to say I've seen it, was alright, or that movie was crap lol or respond to comments any of us make or add pictures, whatever you want. TY

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I'd say this one isn't a full on bad one, gets a decent over average rating on IMDb so it's a good/bad movie lol

HAVE FUN!!!

[TheEvilJester]

Groovy! I will try to check it out this weekend and come back with my review. Can't believe we actually were able to end without a tie for once.

[breathe123]

I'll send the thread my review next week, but I will watch the movie this weekend ~ that movie poster even looks funny to me.

[Exeter19]

guess i'll post in here too. as to acknowledge i see that the review the movie thread has gone up. congratulations on your movie winning, dollhouse.

[megvoh]

I'm watching it tomorrow afternoon and will post my review the very next free online time I have this upcoming week.
Curious about how good or bad it really is, hope it's funny because looks it.

[dollhouse]

I'll go and watch again to give a current POV on it for the review. Thanks to all who voted for my movie.

[topazlight]

Congratulations, dollhouse. I will watch and review your movie hopefully quicker than I did last time for our club. I need a good laugh so hope this does the trick.

[TheEvilJester]

So, I will say that I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Don't get me wrong. I didn't expect it to be utterly terrible. I always thought it looked delightfully stupid. Like, stupid but intentionally stupid. I was surprised, though, but just how fun this movie was.

Now, the first thing you need to realize in order to properly enjoy this movie is that it is a movie about two guys trying to pass off that a dead guy is still alive..... literally by sort of using him like a mannequin and moving him around. If you were expecting a GOOD movie, you need to have your head examined. LOL! What you should have expected, and what this movie delivered, was an extremely stupid movie.... but one that was supposed to be extremely stupid. This was never meant to be a ground-breaking, Academy Award winning masterpiece. This was meant to be a fun, funny, stupid little thing to make you roll your eyes and chuckle.

And for me, it delivered just that. There is something hilarious about the complete absurdity of this entire movie. How in God's name did anybody fall for that? How oblivious are people that they couldn't tell something was wrong with this Bernie fella? I couldn't help but laugh at how ludicrously obvious it was that he was not moving on his own power..... and yet nobody had even the slightest clue.

Even to the point where the hitman who had killed him in the first place kept being completely baffled as to how Bernie could possibly have survived. I am really glad this was the movie that wound up winning. To me, this definitely fell under the category of "So bad it is good" rather than "So bad it is just bad."
Richard and Larry were exactly what you'd want out of a cheesy 80's comedy like this. Not, in any way, reacting the way a normal human being would to this situation. They find their boss dead and, after some initial panicking, just act as though finding a dead guy and using him as a giant puppet is a perfectly normal thing that happens to people all the time. They find out Bernie was planning to have them killed.... and they barely react. LOL!

Furthermore, the gal Richard was trying to date finds out the truth about what is going on..... and instead of being mortified and/or calling the police, this actually serves as a suitable explanation to her as to why Richard has been acting so weird. "Oh, I thought the guy was just lying to me all the time and I won't date a liar..... but somebody who would desecrate a dead body repeatedly for his own personal gain.... yeah, I need me that guy!" LOL!

I just loved how completely absurd this movie was. The movie doesn't take itself seriously for a moment.... and as well it shouldn't. Honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed this for the intentionally stupid, off the wall bizarre movie that this was.

I am sure I will have more to say as more peeps come in with their reviews, but for now I will leave it at that.

[Exeter19]

i haven't written up my review of the movie yet but i have seen it previously and it's a classic, like hot tub time machine might be also, stupid but funny and has some heart to it. and i like how despite him being dead they still enjoy their weekend rofl. this gif always makes me laugh. i'll give the thread more later.

[megvoh]

Awesome, Thanks Jester for adding your review so quickly and Exter19 for already leaving some comments on the movie.
I lost my movie site I went to load site and watch movie yesterday and site is not gone but was up last week. So will find another website and fingers crossed watch this Weds/Thurs the latest.

The whole concept of the movie is hilarious to me, doesn't Bernie ever start to stink and rot? LOL, no one smells him or does he constantly get sprayed with air freshener or wear an air freshener. So gross the idea of keeping a dead body around for pretend and no one catches on, makes you think all Bernie's friends are dumbass's or totally self involved.

Wanted to leave some thoughts until I watch for realsie.

Did it have laugh out loud moments, TEJ?
LOL at the gif you posted, Exeter19.

[TheEvilJester]

For the record, Exeter, that GIF is actually from the second movie. I know because I enjoyed Weekend at Bernie's enough (again, realizing that it was stupid in an intentionally stupid kind of way) that I decided to give Weekend at Bernie's 2 a try as well.

It was equally as stupid, equally as absurd, and equally as fun for being so stupid and absurd. LOL! It even added all new levels of ridiculousness.... but this review round is about the first movie, not both, so I won't go any further into detail on that.

Anyway, I don't think I'd necessarily say it had any big laugh out loud moments. Like, I don't think it is necessarily one where you'll find yourself busting out laughing. Like, to me there are two different kinds of laughing at a funny movie. Basically, you can sum it up as voluntary and involuntary. Sometimes you voluntarily allow yourself to laugh at a movie, or moments in a movie, because you acknowledge they are funny, you enjoy them, and you want to laugh at them. That, or you've already seen the movie and know you found the moment funny then, and you still do now.

Then there is the involuntary laughter. The moment when a joke or moment in a movie takes you by surprise and you couldn't stop yourself from laughing if you tried. I don't think I'd say this movie has any of those moments, but again, you wouldn't necessarily expect that from a movie like this. Again, the whole idea of this movie is just so completely absurd that you don't really expect an uproariously hilarious masterpiece of comedy. It's more on the level of how puns are funny, I guess you could say. Rarely do puns make you bust out laughing, but you still kind of chuckle and enjoy them sometimes. That is good way to think of a movie like this.

[topazlight]

I watched the movie today since I had it off and thought I would put my scattered as always review in now since it is freshly on my mind.

I'd give the movie a 4.5 maybe 5 out of 10. I have to remember it was made back in the 80s and if I watched it when it first came out and being in that time I would probably have given it a little higher grade. Not by much but definitely some more. I will say I enjoyed the two lead actors in the movie they were good fun and got on great with each other and that helped make the movie watchable ( more watchable?) Certainly did not feel bad about Bernie's death what a weasel scumbag. They made believable friends in this.

Here's what all I jotted down while watching the movie.

That opening music and long hot walk into work on the weekend, *groans* obviously they are setting these guys up as an odd couple type by how they dress, one is on time the other late, one litters the other picks it up.
The beach was depressing with that kiddy pool and melting tar tops, nice view of the city if nothing else. They are giving extra un-needed dialogue, time fillers? and the 80s fashion and hair and what's the deal with how he wears his sunglasses the most awkward way ever.

Eager beavers trying to do good, make points for themselves with the boss and it all goes to hell ( hot as _ in the city)
Boss is a jerk and clearly is loaded and loves throwing his money around and clearly is an asshole, you root for his death. Obvious something was up when he becomes friendly with them after seeing the printout and says to call him, Bernie. I know the exact feeling of being excited about something you did, accomplished only to have it come back at you in all the wrong ways that old saying no good deed goes unpunished, Yes, that's it for sure. Several steps back after thinking you've moved forward.


That extra talk/babbling/rambling is driving me crazy! Stooge banter. They are like innocent bunnies being drawn in by a sly fox hoping to devour them.

Laughing at, " he loves us" .. cut to .. " You have to kill them ".. crooked jerk, plus the good old foot job under the table for good measure.

Why was the girl so doe eyed and fake giggles, The pretty Woman syndrome way before Julia Roberts shoved it onto us. I laughed pretending his dad was his butler, and her not being happy about it and leaving, hoping she left because he lied not because he actually wasn't rich after all. Tisk don't lie to impress anyone.

His beach house looks like an office building at the beach, anyone else think this too? I laughed at them jumping on the docking ferry and then of all the people for them to ask directions from his the guy who killed their boss. Small world.

Why was Tawny wearing socks? Dumb all over the place here.

Poor actor playing Bernie being drug around but at least Bernie died smiling. " Doesn't anyone realize he's dead".. not that superficial group. Bernie would probably not notice anyone dead either if reversed.

The Tennis? guy at the party I wanted to kill so annoying. But laughed when they accidently dropped him off the balcony and he gets his make out moment and Bernie washes up by him on the beach. Eww on having sex with his corpse and worse not even noticing her lover was dead.

Idiot central all around them. They should have changed his clothes he is rich and wouldn't wear same clothes two days in row, (laughs)

The moment when they heard that call and realize he was going to kill them, priceless.

The little kid was great in his scenes. Made me laugh a few times, better than most of the adult actors in this movie. Larry's comment of, " why can't you be a lazy shit like I am".. was great! The best part of the movie was after they figured out he wanted them dead and them trying to pretend he was alive to the killer so they wouldn't get killed and the silly end scene where he ends up on the beach with them and that same kid buries him again.


Movie was ridiculous but I bet the main three actors had a ball with this movie.

[megvoh]

I like that TheEvilJester and topazlight always give biggie reviews. Cheers on both of you.

I guess it is 80's humor and you had to go through then to get the references and also the actors they chose to play the parts too be apart of their fan base at the time - can't think why they'd need a 2nd one tho. Milking it. Moo!

[TheEvilJester]

I do have to say, though there wasn't really much "acting" from the guy playing Bernie (after all, he dies very early), you kind of have to hand it to the guy. It must not have been easy having to play dead and remain completely limp while a couple of guys are man-handling you all day. I have to admit, I kinda chuckled a little bit at the mere thought of what that must have been like for that guy. I almost admire his acting chops just for being able to put up with that. LOL!

The biggest thing that baffles me is wouldn't people start to wonder why Bernie wasn't saying a word? God, they are all so wrapped up in their own self-centered BS that they don't even notice an obviously dead guy right if front of them. LOL! Again, part of why I found this movie so ridiculous, but in a fun and intentional kind of way. A masterpiece? OF COURSE NOT! But, fun if you accept what it is.... a stupid movie for the sake of a stupid movie.

[Jffs24]

Oh man the thread is up already -- haven't watched it yet, my peeps. But have seen this one way way back and recall thinking Bernie played by Terry Kiser was the killing it in the movie, to be funny playing dead means you got some mad skills.

McCarthy was in it to draw all the teeny boopers who got wet off him in that Pretty in Pink, and his other teen based movies, St Elmos Fire was another could be wrong here. Silverman, well, dude is a bore but did good enough with his role. Chick at the office was cute but basically useless in a comedy.

Killer -- was one dumb shit, another who couldn't tell he was dead, like the mob guys gf or wife can't remember which she was f ucking him and saying it was great lmao.

I think for the physical comedy this movie works the best, not really for any lines or dialogue. Movie is definitely dated too but is a fun ride if you want some mindless entertainment, have a drink, smoke of whatever and go with it.

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Nice reviews, Jester and topaz.

I'd give the movie a 5 because it did provide some laughs, even if just at how ridiculous these people were. [MENTION=81349]topazlight[/MENTION] -- who was Tawny?