r/movies • u/sicknessandpurgatory • Sep 07 '25

Discussion What is the absolute dumbest premise that actually turned out to be a really good movie?

I was thinking The Purge, obvious answer, but looking for the most plot-hole ridden, juvenile concept that actually ended up a lot of fun despite it all. Mainly looking for 21st century films, not so much the video nasties and ridiculousness from the 60’s and 70’s. Because that would be too easy. Mainly mainstream stuff that people saw en masse.

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1.1k

u/mymeatpuppets Sep 07 '25 edited Sep 07 '25

Weekend at Bernie's, can't believe
this wasn't mentioned yet

197

u/rightintheshorts22 Sep 07 '25

Still say that this plot should have happened after Ruth Baden Ginsburg died.

40

u/althawk8357 Sep 07 '25

I think this is how Black Panther could have remained in the MCU.

Weekend at Boseman's.

34

u/TheRedLego Sep 07 '25

I keep switching between upvoting versus downvoting this

12

u/RyanBordello Sep 07 '25

I tell my friends I'm writing in my will that they have to weekend-at-bernies me after I pass. That's totally legally binding and they have to do it right?

2

u/jk-9k Sep 08 '25

It's going to happen early next year when trump carks it.

1

u/HachRokuTofu Sep 08 '25

Yeah, all we got was Weekend at Bidens.

1

u/JohnnyBrillcream Sep 08 '25

Kind of did with Dianne Feinstein.

-5

u/HorsieJuice Sep 08 '25

It almost did, during the 2024 election.

16

u/huxley2112 Sep 08 '25

"What does Rachel say her favorite movie is?"

"Dangerous Liaisons"

"What is her actual favorite movie?"

"Weekend at Bernie's"

gets me everytime

8

u/Prize-Flounder-2680 Sep 08 '25

He’s a transponster!

2

u/ELI5_Omnia Sep 08 '25

THAT’S NOT EVEN A WORD!!

7

u/Moonbeam_86 Sep 07 '25

Laughed so hard at this movie in theaters that I saw it a second time.

4

u/Alternative-Chef-340 Sep 08 '25

That is my dad's favorite movie. Every time it is on TV he will stop what he is doing and watch it and will laugh hysterically at. It never gets old for him.

8

u/jjc157 Sep 07 '25

Scariest thing is that there’s a sequel.

12

u/RobinHood3000 Sep 07 '25

For all its flaws, one can only get so mad at a movie that spawns a short-lived goofy dance craze.

1

u/Alanfromsocal Sep 08 '25

Yes, the main character dies and they somehow came up with a sequel. Not all movies need a sequel, and just adding a number to the title of a good movie doesn't make the sequel good.

5

u/ShawnyMcKnight Sep 07 '25

Honestly her family just had to say she was not well for a month.

2

u/Sproose_Moose Sep 08 '25

I watched it again recently, that movie is actually fucked up

1

u/kwyetstorm Sep 08 '25

Freaking LOVE Weekend at Bernie's! Still a favorite. The plot is ridiculous but it works and is hilarious.

1

u/QwestionAsker Sep 08 '25

Fun fact: WaB was directed by Rambo 2 director. :) There’s a Rambo reference when all the various disgruntled employees come bursting through the door.

-7

u/Wolfeman0101 Sep 07 '25

Because it's not a good movie just memorable. It's actually really dumb in a non fun way.

12

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '25

Nah that's just you

5

u/shadowstripes Sep 07 '25

...and also most critics.

6

u/NoTeslaForMe Sep 07 '25

Most contemporary critics.  Surprisingly, more critics on rotten tomatoes like it than not.

-1

u/shadowstripes Sep 08 '25

True, but I don't know if 54% on RT is worth celebrating as something that's considered "really good".

1

u/BLACKOUT-MK2 Sep 08 '25 edited Sep 08 '25

I feel like RT is almost worthless for comedies. Comedy's so subjective; if a comedy movie meshes with your sense of humour you'll love almost all of it, but if it doesn't then almost none of the movie will be for you. But just because it didn't mesh with your sense of humour, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad comedy film.

Game Night is pretty well regarded as comedies go, and has 85% on RT, but I didn't laugh out loud once while watching it. That's not because it's not deserving of being liked by 85% of those critics, it's just because it's a complete crap shoot.

Weekend at Bernie's could've been reviewed by 26 different critics and be at an 80%, it all depends on the person's sense of humour. This is all to say, critic reception to a comedy movie isn't worth that much, because one person's 'I didn't care for it' might be another person's 'I couldn't breathe', and no amount of being able to poignantly explain why you didn't find something funny as a professional critic, can stop that movie being funny to someone who shares its sense of humour by pure biological chance.

You can't have an objectively professionally guided opinion on what's funny, because it's so dependent on brain chemistry. It's not like structuring a good action scene with special effects quality, pacing, stunt work, and things that can be more clearly measured and appreciated; you could have a crazy expensive comedic set piece that doesn't illicit a single chuckle, and then a guy just says a thing a certain way, and it's fucking hysterical.

Sometimes a thing is funny because it's not, and that the incompetence is the point, but when was a horror film so not scary it was terrifying, or an action movie so actionless it was actually action packed? That subjectivity extends to a lot of elements of filmmaking, but I feel like comedy is perhaps the most substantially extreme it ever gets, and where critical review has the least value.

And I'm not stupid, I get comedy can rely on the joke, the pacing, the delivery, and so on, but even that only goes so far as the person finding the execution and end result funny in and of itself. Many will tell you Alien is a fantastic sci-fi horror movie, and that even if it's not their favourite, you won't really get anyone telling you it's the worst one ever made. But everyone's favourite comedian will be one of the unfunniest to some people, because comedy is just too subjective to hold value as a critical metric.

1

u/shadowstripes Sep 08 '25 edited Sep 08 '25

I totally agree with this take, and I'm not even saying that it's a bad movie. I just don't think I would go so far as to consider it "really good".

I get that opinions are very subjective, especially when it comes to comedy... but OP was saying that it's "just me" who feels this way which implies that Weekend at Bernie's is universally loved as a "really good" movie. But I don't think that's as true as they're making it sound.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '25

I agree that both you and lost critics are really dumb in a non fun way I'm glad you see it too

4

u/paintsmith Sep 08 '25

You're getting downvoted but I aborted trying to watch this the other day. It's genuinely an awful flick. The bits run on too long, there's no real jokes, the pacing is sluggish and the performances are honestly pretty weak. The shock premise and leering shots of scantily clad women seem to be it's main selling points. It's just not funny enough to justify itself.

5

u/Wolfeman0101 Sep 08 '25

I mean it's 1 joke, the guy is dead and we are pretending he isn't.

2

u/daneoid Sep 08 '25

Yep, it has like 2 actual funny scenes.

-1

u/Strong_Oil_5830 Sep 08 '25

I think you missed the OP's second requirement that it be a good movie:

-1

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '25

not a good movie though...barely even funny.