27/42
In a small Texas town, a friendly mortician befriends a wealthy widow, though when she starts to become controlling, he does his best to break free from her grip. Real-life residents of Carthage, Texas, who knew the real Bernie. Teide and Marjorie Nugent appear in the film, commentating on the events. Bernie committed the murder in 1996, yet he answers his iPhone almost immediately after the murder. Townsman: [speaking of Marjorie Nugent] She’d chew your ass off. I think she’d rip you a brand new, three-bedroom, two-bath, double-wide ass. No problem. Before the main credits roll, real-life photos of Bernie and Marjorie are shown, as well as a short video of Bernie Teide talking to Jack Black. According to the film’s technical specifications link, there are two different versions of this film: one running 1 hour 39 minutes (99 minutes) and the other 1 hour 44 minutes (104 minutes) (US). Featured on The Show with Jay Leno: Jack Black/New York City’s Meatball Shop Guys/Beirut (2012). Love Lifted Me Written by James Rowe and Howard E. Smith Performed by The Florida Boys Courtesy of World Entertainment By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing. "Bernie" is a delightful surprise from Richard Linklater and Jack Black – the same team that brought you the 2003 comedy hit "School of Rock"; now they’ve teamed up for a different kind of comedy – dark. In this film, Black acts differently—more reserved, more purposeful, and at times more intense than in any other film he’s done before. His humor here is modest, and it’s not a physical feat accomplished by his captivating performance. Here’s a guy who everyone loves—who should be loved by everyone, and who can never say no. It’s both an interesting and challenging role for him, but he pulls it off brilliantly—perhaps paving the way for more difficult and dramatic roles in the future. Compared to other comedy actors who have tried more serious turns, he’s not yet as terrifying as Jim Carrey in « The Truman Show » or Adam Sandler in « Punch-Drunk Love »—but he’s on the right track. Shirley MacLaine is also very different here—she’s had a sweet, slightly cheeky personality in many of her previous films, but this one has a cold, condescending aura. around her, and her steely eyes sell it. Matthew McConaughey has definitely improved his acting as the ruthless district attorney—just look at the courtroom scenes. I really appreciate the film’s small-town setting. The film is told through ‘interviews’ with friendly small-town folk, giving the film a quaint and homey feel, while Linklater seamlessly weaves in narrative flashes that lead me to the editing. The film moves at a strong clip and never feels rushed or dragged. The above-average script is balanced with just enough screen time to build the story and characters, especially Bernie. Just when you think the movie is about to end, something else interesting happens that keeps the audience engaged. Black and Linklater are a good, promising team of actors and directors. Perhaps Linklater will be the key to unlocking Black’s potential as an actor. Of course, it’s still a ‘minority’ film – low budget, and almost no advertising at all… so hopefully word of mouth spreads how great this dark comedy is. P.S. I didn’t know the film was based on a true story. It made the film even darker and more bizarre than it should have been. Overall rating: 77%