Weekend at Bernie's II

Weekend at Bernie's II
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Robert Klane
Produced by	Victor Drai Joseph Perez
Written by	Robert Klane
Starring	Andrew McCarthy Jonathan Silverman Terry Kiser
Music by	Peter Wolf
Cinematography	Edward Morey III
Edited by	Peck Prior
Distributed by	TriStar Pictures Entertainment Film Distributors (UK)
Release dates	July 9, 1993 (1993-07-09)
Running time	97 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$7,000,000
Box office	$12,741,891 (USA)

Weekend at Bernie's II is a comedy film released in 1993 by TriStar Pictures and was the sequel to the 1989 comedy Weekend at Bernie's with Andrew McCarthy, Jonathan Silverman and Terry Kiser reprising their roles.

Plot

The film begins with Larry Wilson (Andrew McCarthy) and Richard Parker (Jonathan Silverman), at a Manhattan morgue where they see their deceased CEO Bernie Lomax (Terry Kiser). Larry falsely claims Bernie as his uncle, so he can get some of Bernie's possessions including Bernie's credit card. At the insurance company, Larry and Richard are quizzed by their boss and Arthur Hummel (Barry Bostwick), who ask the two if they have the US$2 million that Bernie embezzled. They deny knowing where the money is, but their boss believes they're lying and fires them. He also sends Hummel after them, giving him two weeks to prove their guilt.

Meanwhile, in the U.S. Virgin Islands a voodoo queen named Mobu (Novella Nelson) is hired by mobsters to find the money Bernie stole. She sends two flunkies – Henry (Steve James) and Charles (Tom Wright) – to go to New York, get Bernie's body, use a voodoo ceremony to reanimate him, and bring him back to her so he can lead her to the money.

Over dinner (paid for with Bernie's credit card, in one of its many uses), Larry tells Richard he found a key to a safety deposit box in St. Thomas and asks Richard if he will use the computer at work to see if the $2 million is in Bernie's account. At first Richard refuses but ultimately he gives in.

Henry and Charles attempt to sneak Bernie's body out of the morgue but it accidentally crashes through a window. Then in a bathroom they prepare for the voodoo ceremony. However, they lose the chicken they were going to use and use a pigeon instead. This limits Bernie's ability to walk toward the hidden money: he only moves when he hears music.

Later that night, Larry and Richard sneak into their office building to check Bernie's account, only to find that Bernie is the only one that can open it. They are soon arrested by the police for breaking and entering. While they are in jail, Bernie is discovered on a train after Henry and Charles abandoned him to chase a man who stole their boom box.

Larry and Richard are released from jail, find Bernie (whom they believe is still dead), stuff him into a suitcase, bring him with them to the Virgin Islands, and put him into a small refrigerator in their hotel room. Unbeknownst to the two, Hummel is following them to recover the embezzled $2 million. The guys successfully use Bernie to open his safety deposit box but all it contains is a map. Larry befriends a lovely native girl named Claudia (Troy Beyer) and he and Richard give her the map. Larry and Richard are captured by Henry and Charles, who take them to Mobu. She poisons Richard and tells them they must find the money by sundown to get the antidote.

When Larry, Richard, and Claudia are reunited, they're shocked to discover that Bernie is moving and realize he is leading them towards the money. They put headphones on Bernie and follow him to the cash, which is underwater. As Bernie finds a large submerged chest, Larry accidentally shoots Bernie in the head with a underwater spear gun, which destroys the headphones. They attempt to bring Bernie back to the surface but Bernie won't let go of the chest, which is too heavy to hoist out of the water. They decide to attach Bernie to a horse and carriage with music playing so that Bernie can move. It seems to work at first, but when they cross over a hill the carriage goes out of control, knocking out Mobu and the mobsters. The crash also causes Bernie to drop the chest on the ground and it breaks open. Larry tries to scoop up the money but is caught by Hummel (now slightly unhinged upon seeing the undead Bernie walk) and Richard relinquishes the money to him. With the Mobu out of commission, Claudia's father, a medical doctor, says that he can cure Richard if he can get the blood of a virgin (which Larry confesses he can provide). The mobsters and Mobu are arrested, and Bernie is last seen leading Henry and Charles, who have been transformed into goats by voodoo, in a carnival parade.

Larry confesses to Richard that he returned the $2 million to the insurance company, but only after learning Bernie actually stole $3 million. Larry and Richard use the remaining $1 million to purchase a yacht with a crew of attractive women. On board the yacht, Larry reveals he had to use "about eight or so grand" to pay off Bernie's credit card.

Cast

• Andrew McCarthy as Larry Wilson
• Jonathan Silverman as Richard Parker
• Terry Kiser as Bernie Lomax
• Troy Beyer as Claudia
• Barry Bostwick as Arthur Hummel
• Tom Wright as Charles
• Steve James as Henry
• Novella Nelson as Mobu
• Lyle Howry as New York Cop #1
• Ben Lemon as New York Cop #2
• David Nadboralski as New York Cop #3
• Win De Lugo as Mr. Jennings
• J.C. Scott-Klane as Secretary
• Cedric Bones as Bank Executive
• Graeme MacDonald as Store Clerk
• Lance Durham as Hotel Beach Employee
• Hillel E. Silverman as Maitre'd
• Jennie Moreau as Brenda

Production

The movie was filmed in 1992 in the Territory of the Virgin Islands of the United States and in New York City. The talent and staff, who were mainly from the Los Angeles area were on location when the Los Angeles riots of April 1992 broke out and they stated in a St. Thomas interview that they were worried for their loved ones.

Reception

Weekend at Bernie's II earned mostly negative reviews from critics, earning an 10% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 29 reviews.^[1][2][3]

Box office

The movie had modest box office success.^[4]

In popular culture

Weekend at Bernie's II is mentioned in the eight season episode of Seinfeld, "The Comeback". The movie is featured in the staff picks shelf at a video rental store, under "Gene's Picks". Kramer recommends it to Elaine instead of a staff pick by "arthouse goon", Vincent. Elaine rents it, only to be disappointed and eventually yelling "Bernie's dead, you idiots!" at the television while watching it.

The movie is referenced in the How I Met Your Mother episode "How Lily Stole Christmas" when Ted attempts to insult Lily for having a poor sense of humor. "Remember that time we heard her laughing, and we thought she was watching Weekend at Bernie's but it turned out she was watching Weekend at Bernie's II!" This movie is also referenced in the How I Met Your Mother episode "Weekend at Barney's".

Similarly, in an episode of NCIS a character who needs to establish an alibi is too embarrassed to say which film he had been watching. The team assume he was watching a porn film, but he eventually admits it was Weekend at Bernie's II, to which film geek Agent DiNozzo says, "Even worse."^[5]

Movin' Like Bernie

Inspired by the movement of the movie's namesake, a style of dance was created called "Movin' Like Bernie". Homemade movies went viral on the internet, from children to soldiers serving overseas.^[6] Even professional athletes began performing the dance, including Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, after scoring a touchdown during a nationally-televised January 2011 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.^[7]

The 2012 Oakland Athletics have adapted "Movin' Like Bernie" into their celebration routines after Coco Crisp played the song for third baseman Brandon Inge in the team's clubhouse before a game. Players, such as Josh Reddick, will perform the dance after a home run, big hit or walk off victory.^[8]

References

External links

• Weekend at Bernie's II at the Internet Movie Database
• Weekend at Bernie's II at AllMovie
• Weekend at Bernie's II at the TCM Movie Database
• Weekend at Bernie's II at Box Office Mojo
• Weekend at Bernie's II at Rotten Tomatoes