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Weekend at Bernie's wrings a surprising amount of laughs out of its corpse-driven slapstick premise, but one joke can only carry a film so far.
All Critics (24) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (13) | Rotten (11) | DVD (4)
Bernie's is good old, knock-down slapstick with just the right dose of cruelty thrown in. Jul 5, 2017 | Full Review…
Bernie's is good old, knock-down slapstick with just the right dose of cruelty thrown in.
Duane Byrge
Irreverent dead-body comedy has plenty of iffy stuff. Sep 16, 2014 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
Irreverent dead-body comedy has plenty of iffy stuff.
Barbara Shulgasser
A silly uninspired juvenile one-joke film. Jul 19, 2010 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…
A silly uninspired juvenile one-joke film.
Dennis Schwartz
Couldn't even drag a smile out of me. Chalk it up to either old age or the calcification of taste. Or just blame it on Silverman and McCarthy, who found their careers rightfully torn to shreds soon after the release of the film. Aug 26, 2009 | Rating: D- | Full Review…
Couldn't even drag a smile out of me. Chalk it up to either old age or the calcification of taste. Or just blame it on Silverman and McCarthy, who found their careers rightfully torn to shreds soon after the release of the film.
Brian Orndorf
There are a few jokes that hit home quite successfully, but at 98 minutes, you'll probably be looking forward to this weekend's big finale. Jul 28, 2005 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
There are a few jokes that hit home quite successfully, but at 98 minutes, you'll probably be looking forward to this weekend's big finale.
Scott Weinberg
...might just be the ultimate wacky '80s comedy... Jul 9, 2005 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…
...might just be the ultimate wacky '80s comedy...
David Nusair
Hilarious goofball comedy from the late 80s. Mar 25, 2005 | Rating: 4/5
Hilarious goofball comedy from the late 80s.
Kevin Carr
Tasteless one-joke premise actually evokes laughs. Oct 30, 2004 | Rating: 3/5
Tasteless one-joke premise actually evokes laughs.
Steve Crum
Weekend at Bernie?s doesn?t really work, partly because it expects a single joke, that nobody realizes Bernie?s dead, to carry the whole movie. Jan 8, 2004 | Rating: 2.5/5
Weekend at Bernie?s doesn?t really work, partly because it expects a single joke, that nobody realizes Bernie?s dead, to carry the whole movie.
Blake French
A film like Weekend at Bernie's should be commended for being smart enough to be so dumb. Sep 6, 2003 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…
A film like Weekend at Bernie's should be commended for being smart enough to be so dumb.
Michael Brody
Really funny. Also really stupid. Still, it delivers the laughs. Mar 4, 2003 | Rating: 3/5
Really funny. Also really stupid. Still, it delivers the laughs.
Alex Sandell
A classic of the dumb, hit-on-the-head comedy genre! Nov 24, 2002 | Rating: 4/5
A classic of the dumb, hit-on-the-head comedy genre!
Nell Minow
Odious and completely unfunny, it really amazes me that this awful movie has become some sort of trashy cult along the years, and it is nearly unbearable to see a bunch of stupid characters incapable of noticing that a man is obviously dead.
Super Reviewer
"Weekend at Bernie's" is the type of film where you either buy the storyline and go along with it, or you will probably hate it. I always fall directly in the middle when I watch this film, because the comedy hits just as much as it misses. The idea of this film is risky to begin with, playing with death and such, but it works in the context of this movie and the characters involved in this crazy plot. Once invited to a house party at their Boss's party on an island, they arrive to find him dead in his home. Hiding the fact that he is dead, they parade around with the body the entire film, creating some very fun moments, but also some cynical ones as well. Overall, you may or may not enjoy this film, it is really a matter of opinion. "Weekend at Bernie's" works for what it is, but it is really the type of comedy you need to be in the mood for.
Mediocre comedy film, Weekend at Bernie's is one of those films that could have been much better than what it turned out to be. I really expect a fun, entertaining film; however this is a strained comedy with barely any effective comedic material. The cast do what they can to elevate the material, however, the result is not satisfying. Those expecting a good comedy will surely be disappointed and want more out of the film. The jokes here simply don't cut it, and fall flat most of the time. This film really could have been something special. But as it stands it's a lacking comedy that just doesn't have what it takes to be truly entertaining. I was disappointed by the film, and I thought it squandered its potential due to the fact the film's a script didn't seem fully fleshed out. Weekend at Bernie's is a comedy that leaves the viewer wanting more out of the film. The script is clearly underdeveloped, and the hints of good ideas are overshadowed by the incoherent narrative and lack of good comedy elements. The film disappoints and it just doesn't do anything to really grab the viewer's attention. I think this film could have been much better than what it turned out to be, and it's a shame they couldn't pull something truly amusing. In terms of a comedy, this one just doesn't deliver, and you won't expect to laugh. In fact, I didn't laugh once throughout the film, and I just felt myself wanting much more out of the film by the time the credits rolled. If there would have been a few rewrites to the script, with more thought put into the comedic elements, then this would have been a fun, entertaining and worthwhile comedy to really enjoy. Weekend at Bernie's has an interesting idea, but never delivers on its potential, which makes this a film not worth seeing if you enjoy truly fun comedies.
What we have here, is a one joke movie that's excruciatingly juvennile and gut bustingly corny but that's not to say it wasn't at all funny. Weekend at Bernie's has become a cultural icon and there's been a lot of cheap rip off's chunked out over the years that can't copy what this wacky, stupid movie could do. It wasn't that great and it's certainly one of the most idiotic movies i've ever seen in my life, but it was mildly amusing at the least.
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