Review of Weekend at Bernie's (1989) by Penelope V — 01 Nov 2009

So here I go, I'm about to expose myself as being the cinema critic anti-christ. But considering a day where A Clockwork Orange and Run Lola Run were both watched, film #19 of 70, Weekend At Bernie's I enjoyed more.

Before you reel back in terror and lose all respect for me, let me finish. First of all its the best "Dead Guy Pretending To Be Alive" film in cinema history, followed closely by its sequel (but thats another story).

Before I continue, this must surely have been the film that stalled Andrew McCarthy's career, which was bright prior to this, but beyond...no dice. Additionally, watch Terry Kiser's performance as Bernie Lomax, not his acting.

..but consider how hard it would be to act dead but look alive at the same time. Or to have limp limbs that still look believable and lifelike when animated by fishing wire and lastly no other dead body can smoke a cigarrette or drink a cocktail with as much effortlessness.

Do I need to mention Bernie actually has sex with his girlfriend in this film - AFTER - he is killed?!? Yes, there is necrophilia in WAB (as the Fanboys call it). Put simply, this is what the 1980's video store empire was built on, people renting the hell out of this film, I know I did and you should too.

In the interim, I advise checking out WAB2 or alternatively, getting on the message boards and forums and calling for Michael Bay to do WAB3 or more relevantly Weekend At Bernies 3D.