History Film / WeekendAtBernies

* MythologyGag: ''Weekend at Bernies'' opens with Jermaine Stewart's "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEGyWxFL9nk Hot & Cold]]" which was the WorkingTitle for the movie.

* HoYay: Between Larry and Richard; it's noticed by Bernie. Also, a woman at Bernie's party acknowledges the ho yay in ''SherlockHolmes'', writing a book about him and Watson being 'secretly married'. It's also invoked in the original "suicide note" written by Bernie. He was originally going to claim that Larry stole the money ''so he could have a sex change operation''. And live with ''Richard'' as his lover.

* BeachBury: "Mister, can I bury you?"

* BrattyHalfPint: The bratty kid obsessed with burying Bernie's body.

* CrazyJealousGuy: Vito, when he finds out Bernie is sleeping with his girlfriend Tina.

* TheFamilyForTheWholeFamily: Vito, Paulie, and company.

* TheMafia: The boss Bernie reports to is even named Vito.

* HollywoodVoodoo: Cock-a-doodle-do.

* InspectorJavert: Hummel.
* MadeOfIron: Bernie's body gets shot in the head with a harpoon and ''chewed on by a shark.'' By the end of the movie, there's no scratch on him.
** Well, except for the harpoon still being in his head.

* OfCorpseHesAlive: The plot [[TropeNamer formerly known as]] Weekend at Bernie's. It also [[TropeCodifier Codified]] the trope as being a bit of an IdiotPlot, although it's indeed an understandable one due to a case of both our protagonists being LockedOutOfTheLoop as well as a case of PoorCommunicationKills. For context, Richard and Larry find Bernie dead of an ''apparent'' drug overdose, then find a recorded message on the answering machine ordering a hit on them, but Bernie specifically told the hitman ''not'' to kill them if he (Bernie) was anywhere near them, so that he could have an alibi. The two then decide (well more-so Larry, as Richard objected to the idea from the start) to pretend Bernie is alive for protection until they can get off the island. [[CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot However, unknown to them]], the hitman in question actually had higher orders to kill Bernie and ''only'' Bernie, having disregarded Bernie's own personal request for a hit and, after having done away with the guy, was just going to leave the island peacefully. Therefore, while the whole act was indeed an understandable (albeit rather morbid and rather ridiculous) choice, all dragging Bernie's corpse around did was instead freak the hitman out until he eventually lost his mind, going so far as to unceremoniously shoot Bernie repeatedly (six times to be exact) so as to make ''sure'' he was dead, and then turned his gun to our protagonists to kill them for witnessing the shooting.

* OfCorpseHesAlive: The plot [[TropeNamer formerly known as]] Weekend at Bernie's. It also [[TropeCodifier Codified]] the trope as being a bit of an IdiotPlot, although it's indeed an understandable one due to a case of both our protagonists being LockedOutOfTheLoop as well as a case of PoorCommunicationKills. For context, Richard and Larry find Bernie dead of an ''apparent'' drug overdose, then find a recorded message on the answering machine ordering a hit on them, but Bernie specifically told the hitman ''not'' to kill them if he (Bernie) was anywhere near them, so that he could have an alibi. The two then decide (well more-so Larry, as Richard objected to the idea from the start) to pretend he's alive for protection until they can get off the island. [[CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot However, unknown to them]], the hitman in question actually had higher orders to kill Bernie and ''only'' Bernie, having disregarded Bernie's own personal request for a hit and, after having done away with Bernie, was just going to leave the island peacefully. While the whole act was an understandable (albeit rather morbid and rather ridiculous) choice, all dragging Bernie's corpse around did was instead freak the hitman out until he eventually lost his mind, going so far as to unceremoniously shoot Bernie repeatedly (six times to be exact) so as to make ''sure'' he was dead, and then turned his gun to our protagonists to kill them for witnessing the shooting.

* OfCorpseHesAlive: The plot [[TropeNamer formerly known as]] Weekend at Bernie's. It also [[TropeCodifier Codified]] the trope as being a bit of an IdiotPlot, although and understandable one due to a case of both our protagonists being LockedOutOfTheLoop as well as a case of PoorCommunicationKills. For context, Richard and Larry find Bernie dead of an ''apparent'' drug overdose, then find a recorded message on the answering machine ordering a hit on them, but Bernie specifically told the hitman ''not'' to kill them if he (Bernie) was anywhere near them, so that he could have an alibi. The two then decide (well more-so Larry, as Richard objected to the idea from the start) to pretend he's alive for protection until they can get off the island. [[CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot However, unknown to them]], the hitman in question actually had higher orders to kill Bernie and ''only'' Bernie, having disregarded Bernie's own personal request for a hit and, after having done away with Bernie, was just going to leave the island peacefully. While the whole act was an understandable (albeit rather morbid and rather ridiculous) choice, all dragging Bernie's corpse around did was instead freak the hitman out until he eventually lost his mind, going so far as to unceremoniously shoot Bernie repeatedly (six times to be exact) so as to make ''sure'' he was dead, and then turned his gun to our protagonists to kill them for witnessing the shooting.
** Oh, and it also indirectly proved that ''every single one'' of Bernie's friends was a shallow asshole. Especially his girlfriend(s), one of whom has a whale of a time screwing ''his dead body.''

* OfCorpseHesAlive: The plot [[TropeNamer formerly known as]] Weekend at Bernie's. It also [[TropeCodifier Codified]] the trope as being a bit of an IdiotPlot, although and understandable one due to a case of both our protagonists being LockedOutOfTheLoop as well as a case of PoorCommunicationKills. For context, Richard and Larry find Bernie dead of an ''apparent'' drug overdose, then find a recorded message on the answering machine ordering a hit on them, but Bernie specifically told the hitman ''not'' to kill them if he (Bernie) was anywhere near them, so that he could have an alibi. The two then decide (well more-so Larry, as Richard objected to the idea from the start) to pretend he's alive for protection until they can get off the island. [[CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot However, unknown to them]], the hitman in question actually had higher orders to kill Bernie and ''only'' Bernie, having disregarded Bernie's own personal request for a hit and, after having done away with Bernie, was just going to leave the island peacefully. While the act were understandable (albeit rather morbid and rather ridiculous) all dragging Bernie's corpse around did was instead freak the hitman out until he eventually lost his mind, going so far as to unceremoniously shoot Bernie repeatedly (six times to be exact) so as to make ''sure'' he was dead, and then turned his gun to our protagonists to kill them for witnessing the shooting.

* OfCorpseHesAlive: The plot [[TropeNamer formerly known as]] Weekend at Bernie's. It also [[TropeCodifier Codified]] the trope as being a bit of an IdiotPlot, although and understandable one due to a case of both our protagonists being LockedOutOfTheLoop as well as a case of PoorCommunicationKills. For context, Richard and Larry find Bernie dead of an ''apparent'' drug overdose, then find a recorded message on the answering machine ordering a hit on them, but Bernie specifically told the hitman ''not'' to kill them if he (Bernie) was anywhere near them, so that he could have an alibi. The two then decide (well more-so Larry, as Richard objected to the idea from the start) to pretend he's alive for protection until they can get off the island. [[CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot However, unknown to them]], the hitman in question actually had higher orders to kill Bernie and ''only'' Bernie, having disregarded Bernie's own personal request for a hit and, after having done away with Bernie, was just going to leave peacefully. All dragging Bernie's corpse around did was freak the hitman out until he eventually lost his mind, going so far as to shot Bernie repeatedly so as to make ''sure'' he was dead, and then tried to kill our protagonists for witnessing the shooting.

* OfCorpseHesAlive: The plot [[TropeNamer formerly known as]] Weekend at Bernie's. It also [[TropeCodifier Codified]] the trope as a ''stupid idea'', because it was ''pointless.'' Richard and Larry find Bernie dead of an apparent drug overdose, then find a recorded message on the answering machine ordering a hit on them, but specifically told the hitman ''not'' to kill them if he was anywhere near them, so he could have an alibi. They thus decide to pretend he's alive until they can get off the island. [[CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot Unknown to them]], the hitman had higher orders to kill Bernie and ''only'' Bernie, and having done so was just going to leave peacefully. All dragging Bernie's corpse around did was freak the hitman out until he lost his mind, shot Bernie repeatedly to make ''sure'' he was dead, then tried to kill them for witnessing the shooting.
** Oh, and it proved that ''every single one'' of Bernie's friends was a shallow asshole. Especially his girlfriend(s), one of whom has a whale of a time screwing ''his dead body.''

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/weekend_at_bernies_movie_poster.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[HilarityEnsues ...and what a weekend it was.]]]]

A 1989 comedy film in which junior actuaries Larry Wilson (Creator/AndrewMcCarthy) and Richard Parker (Creator/JonathanSilverman) get duplicitously invited by their scheming boss Bernie Lomax (Creator/TerryKiser) to his fancy Long Island beach home for the weekend. HilarityEnsues when Bernie is murdered (by someone else) and circumstances force the hapless duo to lug his corpse around, pretending he is still alive.

* SequelNonEntity: Gwen Saunders, Catherine Mary Stewart's character from the original film, is nowhere to be seen here.[[note]]Though this is justified since the movie was taken place a week after the first one, where she would be in college at the time as mentioned previously.[[/note]]

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: Larry and Richard carry Bernie's corpse around and make him move like a ragdoll (a corpse becomes stiff at certain times after death), without it ever showing any signs of putrefaction.

* BalefulPolymorph: ThoseTwoBadGuys are turned into goats by the end of the film, and are stuck being dragged around by Bernie.

* ImperfectRitual: ThoseTwoBadGuys were given instructions on how to re-animate Bernie so he could lead them to a buried treasure. However, they performed the ritual in a public bathroom, and a key element - a live chicken - escaped(and was implied to have been... appropriated... by a man in an adult theatre), so [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXNxIwH6yG0 they used the pigeon when they should have used the chicken...]]

* OurZombiesAreDifferent: Bernie ends up a Type V. Sort of. ThoseTwoBadGuys screwed up the ritual that was supposed to fully revive him, so now he can only move when music is playing.

* YourCheatingHeart: Tina was unfaithful to Vito by sleeping with Bernie, and had the nerve to accuse Bernie of cheating on her.

A 1989 comedy film in which junior actuaries Larry Wilson (Andrew [=McCarthy=]) and Richard Parker (Jonathan Silverman) get duplicitously invited by their scheming boss Bernie Lomax (Terry Kiser) to his fancy Long Island beach home for the weekend. HilarityEnsues when Bernie is murdered (by someone else) and circumstances force the hapless duo to lug his corpse around, pretending he is still alive.

* OfCorpseHesAlive: The plot [[TropeNamer formerly known as]] Weekend at Bernie's. It also [[TropeCodifier Codified]] the trope as a ''stupid idea'', because it was ''pointless.'' Richard and Larry find Bernie dead of an apparent drug overdose, then find a recorded message on the answering machine ordering a hit on them, but specifically telling the hitman ''not'' to kill them if he was anywhere near them, so he could have an alibi. They thus decide to pretend he's alive until they can get off the island. [[CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot Unknown to them]], the hitman had higher orders to kill Bernie and ''only'' Bernie, and having done so was just going to leave peacefully. All dragging Bernie's corpse around did was freak the hitman out until he lost his mind, shot Bernie repeatedly to make ''sure'' he was dead, then tried to kill them for witnessing the shooting.

* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: Not only does the bratty kid seems too obsessed with burying Bernie's body, he also flips Richard and Larry the bird after scaring them with a toy gun.

* DenserAndWackier: This film is less realistic, having zombies in it.

* SequelNonEntity: Gwen Saunders, Catherine Mary Stewart's character from the original film, is nowhere to be seen here.
* UnexpectedVirgin: At the end, they need the blood of a virgin to save Richard's life. Everyone looks around nervously, and [[DoomedDefeatist Richard thinks he’s finished]]...until Larry puts his arm out.

A 1989 comedy film in which junior actuaries Larry Wilson (Andrew [=McCarthy=]) and Richard Parker (Jonathan Silverman) get duplicitously invited by their scheming boss Bernie Lomax (Terry Kiser) to his fancy Long Island beach home for the weekend. HilarityEnsues when Bernie is murdered (by someone else), and circumstances force the hapless duo to lug his corpse around, pretending he is still alive.

* CrazyJealousGuy: Vito when he finds out Bernie is sleeping with his girlfriend Tina.

* ForeignCussWord: Just before Paulie shoots Bernie, he says "cornuto", an Italian insult that implies the other person is a cuckold - and that the primary reason the hit was called in the first place was because Bernie was sleeping with a mobster's girlfriend.

* HeKnowsTooMuch: When Bernie's actuaries Larry and Richard discovered insurance fraud and told them they were planning to expose it with the hopes of getting promoted in doing so, Bernie (who was behind the fraud) begs his boss Vito to assassinate the two. Vito decides Bernie is getting too greedy with power and money, and offs ''him'' instead.

%%* NaughtyUnderTheTable

* SanitySlippage: Paulie the hit man, who gets dragged away in a straitjacket at the end, screaming that Bernie is still alive.

* UnknownRival: Larry and Richard are unaware Hummel is tailing them until the very end of the movie, despite indirectly causing a lot of trouble for him. To a lesser extent they only become aware of the BigBad two thirds of the way through the film and she was likewise had no idea about them.

%%* DeathAsComedy

* CorruptCorporateExecutive: The protagonists were unaware of it, but Bernie was the one behind the insurance fraud that was going on in their company.

* StrayShotsStrikeNothing: During the finale, the hitman (who, admittedly, has lost most of his marbles at this point) fires two wild shots at the trio as they try to get away, their escape attempt thwarted by a locked sliding door. Since the hitman's shots weren't aimed, came from a handgun of decent power, and would've hit either sliding doors or back deck windows, there should've been a couple dandy new exits available for immediate egress. Immediately averted when his next miss messes up the stereo.

DenserAndWackier: This film is less realistic, having zombies in it.

** Not that Larry was much better; he was focusing on all the luxuries in Bernie's house. Richard was the only person in the ''entire movie'' (besides ''the guy who killed him'') to figure it out without having it shoved in his face.
%%* NaughtyUnderTheTable

** Richard's New York Judaism is also strongly implied by his choice of date venue with Gwen: a Jewish-Chinese fusion restaurant called "Hymie's Hunan" with sweet-and-sour matzo balls on the menu.

-->'''Larry''': How do you like that? The guy gets laid more dead than I do alive.

* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Gwen Saunders, Catherine Mary Stewart's character from the original film, is nowhere to be seen here.