Alright, settle in, pop that tape in the VCR (mind the tracking!), and let's talk about a film whose central premise is so wonderfully, delightfully absurd, it could only have swaggered out of the late 80s. I’m talking about Weekend at Bernie's (1989), a movie that asks the eternal question: what do you do when your corrupt boss invites you to his beach house for the weekend, only for you to find him inconveniently deceased upon arrival? If you’re Larry and Richard, you pretend he’s still alive, naturally.
### High Concept Hijinks in the Hamptons (Sort Of)
The setup is pure yuppie-era wish fulfillment mixed with farcical dread. Low-level insurance drones Larry Wilson (Andrew McCarthy) and Richard Parker (Jonathan Silverman) stumble upon some serious fraud at their company. Their boss, the perpetually tanned and smirking Bernie Lomax (Terry Kiser), rewards their diligence with an invitation to his lavish Hamptons beach house. Little do they know, Bernie plans to have them whacked for uncovering his scheme. Even less do they know, Bernie's mob associates decide to whack him first. What follows is perhaps the most committed act of corpse puppetry in cinematic history.
McCarthy and Silverman are perfectly cast as our increasingly frantic protagonists. McCarthy, dialing up the slightly sleazy, opportunistic charm he hinted at in films like Pretty in Pink (1986), is the id of the operation, convinced they can maintain the charade. Silverman, the more grounded worrier, sells the escalating panic beautifully. Their chemistry is frantic and funny, a believable portrait of two ordinary guys caught in an extraordinary (and extraordinarily morbid) situation. I remember renting this from Blockbuster back in the day, purely based on the goofy cover art, and being utterly unprepared for the sheer audacity of the comedy.
### The Eighth Wonder: A Practically Deceased Bernie
Let's be honest, the real star here is Terry Kiser's Bernie. Or rather, the illusion of Bernie. This film is a masterclass in practical effect comedy, relying on clever framing, strategically placed sunglasses, and Kiser's incredible (and reportedly painful) commitment to playing dead. There’s a physical reality to the gags – dragging Bernie, propping him up, accidentally abusing the corpse – that just wouldn't land the same way with modern CGI. Remember how convincing that water-skiing scene looked back then, pulled off with a combination of Kiser, stunt doubles, and some brave camera work? They filmed primarily in North Carolina, using spots like Wrightsville Beach to convincingly fake the opulent Hamptons setting, likely a budget-saving measure for the $15 million production.
It's this tangible quality that makes the dark humor work. We see the effort involved in maintaining the illusion, the sheer physical comedy of manipulating a dead body as if it were merely passed out drunk. Director Ted Kotcheff, believe it or not, is the same guy who gave us the gritty intensity of First Blood (1982) and the harrowing Wake in Fright (1971). The tonal whiplash is almost as funny as the film itself! Kotcheff handles the escalating farce with a surprisingly deft touch, keeping the pace snappy and never letting the absurdity curdle into something truly unpleasant.
### More Than Just a Dead Guy Gag?
Okay, maybe "more" is pushing it, but the film does capture a certain late-80s vibe – the unchecked greed, the casual opulence, the slightly desperate pursuit of the good life represented by Bernie's world. Catherine Mary Stewart (Night of the Comet (1984)) shows up as Gwen, Richard's office crush who gets swept into the weekend's chaos, adding a necessary dose of normalcy amidst the escalating madness. The synth-heavy score by Andy Summers (yes, the guitarist from The Police!) firmly plants the film in its era.
Digging into some retro fun facts, Terry Kiser apparently took his role very seriously, often staying motionless even between takes to maintain the illusion. He reportedly sustained a few injuries performing Bernie's various falls and tumbles – dedication to the craft, folks! And while critics at the time were largely unimpressed (Roger Ebert famously gave it one star), audiences didn't care. The film was a modest box office success, pulling in about $30 million domestically, but its real legacy was cemented through endless VHS rentals and cable TV airings, becoming a true cult comedy classic. It even spawned the truly bizarre Weekend at Bernie's II in 1993, which somehow involved voodoo. Let's maybe not talk too much about that one.
### The Verdict
Weekend at Bernie's isn't high art. It's a high-concept, slightly dark, incredibly silly 80s comedy built around one outrageous joke. But damn, does it commit to that joke. The physical comedy, driven by the leads' panic and Kiser's legendary non-performance, is executed with a practical ingenuity that feels charmingly old-school today. It’s funny, it’s memorable, and it perfectly captures a specific flavor of cinematic absurdity from the VHS era.
Rating: 7/10 - The premise is stretched thin, and it's undeniably dated in spots, but the central performances (especially Kiser's incredible physical work) and the sheer audacity of the concept make it a laugh-out-loud watch. The practical execution of the Bernie gags earns major points for effort and impact in the pre-CGI world.
Final Take: A triumph of morbid slapstick; they literally don't make 'em like this anymore, probably because HR would have a field day. Still hilarious, if you’ve got the stomach for it.