Today’s quick review: Weekend at Bernie’s. Richard Parker (Jonathan Silverman) and Larry Wilson (Andrew McCarthy) think they’ve hit it big when their boss Bernie Lomax (Terry Kiser) invites them to his beach house for the weekend. But when Richard and Larry arrive, they find their host dead of an apparent drug overdose. To salvage their weekend, the two friends concoct an elaborate ruse to convince the world Bernie is still alive.
Weekend at Bernie’s is a crime comedy about two friends trying to maintain the illusion that their boss is alive. Quick thinking and clever puppetry let Richard and Larry fool a beach full of partygoers, but Richard’s crush Gwen (Catherine Mary Stewart) proves to be a more difficult problem. What follows is a madcap comedy full of lies, accidents, and slapstick. Physical humor and a well-picked pair of leads make Weekend at Bernie’s a fun pick.
Weekend at Bernie’s puts its premise to good use. Bernie’s corpse makes for a surprisingly versatile slapstick prop. It gets used as a puppet, buried in the sand, dropped repeatedly, and generally gets in Richard and Larry’s way. The humor can be a little macabre, but the light tone and lack of gore keep things palatable. Meanwhile, Jonathan Silverman and Andrew McCarthy have an easy rapport that keeps the jokes flowing smoothly.
Give Weekend at Bernie’s a shot when you’re in the mood for a breezy comedy with plenty of overt humor. The movie does not have the depth or wit that some comedies bring to the table, but it does make the most of an original premise. For a comedy with a similar tone, try Men at Work or Stakeout. For a classic musical with a similarly askance view of the corporate world, try How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
6.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for blunt but entertaining humor.