Bernie
BBB
(out of 5)
A stranger-than-fiction case of murder and greed in Carthage, Texas, with Jack Black portraying an undertaker whose friendship with an ornery widow (Shirley MacLaine) is a mystery to the townspeople. MacLaine has never been liked by anybody but seems to have a kinship with Black, whom most of the town assumes is gay, so they are surprised when the two start acting like a couple by going on vacations together, and then mortified when she goes missing for weeks and is eventually found face down in the garage freezer. Matthew McConaughey also appears as the district attorney pulled into the melee that occurs when this case becomes a local curiosity, immune to Bernie’s charms and determined to nab him for the crime. The film also displays the effect the case had on the citizens of Carthage by including interviews with real locals and participants in the case, a droll move in which the real-life talking heads are sometimes more colourful than the actors. MacLaine’s acerbic and dark take on her Terms of Endearment character spikes up the fictional stuff, but a weak performance by Black, who has the right motions for the character but can never go deep, is likely why this film is passably fun but not particularly memorable.
USA, 2011
Directed by Richard Linklater
Screenplay by Richard Linklater, Skip Hollandsworth, based on the article in Texas Monthly by Skip Hollandsworth
Cinematography by Dick Pope
Produced by Liz Glotzer, Richard Linklater, David McFadzean, Dete Meserve, Judd Payne, Celine Rattray, Martin Shafer, Ginger Sledge, Matt Williams
Music by Graham Reynolds
Production Design by Bruce Curtis
Costume Design by Kari Perkins
Film Editing by Sandra Adair
Cast Tags: Alaina Flores,Amparo García, Ann Reeves, Ben Bachelder,Berkley Jones, Betty Andrews, Billy Vaticalos,Brady Coleman, Brandon Smith, Brenda Bunton, Charles Allen Eskew, Charles Bailey,Charlie m Stewart, Chell Parkins, Chris Barfield,Chris Humphrey, Christian Stokes, Colin Bevis,Cozette McNeely, Dale Dudley, Daniel Rae Srivastava, David Blackwell, David Ponton, David Steakley,Deanna Newcomb,Debbie Shaw, Doug Moreland, Edward Ji,Ellen Stader, Ellie Edwards, Fern Luker, Flo Weiershausen, Gabriel Luna, Gary Askins, Gayla Bruce, Geraldine Miller,Gina Wooten, Glenda Jones, Grant James, Gray Randolph,Ian Saunders, Ira Bounds,J.D. Young, Jack Payne, Jacqui Bloom, James Baker,James Wilson, Jeanetta Kloppe, Jeff Davis,Jennifer Foster, Jerry Biggs, Jill Blackwood, Jo Perkins, Joe Leroy Reynolds, Joe Stevens,John Hornbuckle, Jordan Hill, Joshua Denning, Juli Erickson, Kathy Gollmitzer, Kay Epperson,Kay McConaughey,Kenneth C. Liverman,Kenny Brevard, Kristi Copeland, Kristi Youngblood, Lara Wright,Larissa Slota, Larry Jack Dotson, Lesa Brooks,Leslie Hethcox, Linda Rudwick, Madelyn Shaffer, Marcia Bailey, Margaret Bowman,Margaret Hoard, Marjorie Dome, Martha Long, Mary Stifflemire, Mathew Greer, Matthew McConaughey, Meredith Beal, Merrilee McCommas, Michelle Briscoe, Mika Odom,Mollie Fuller, Mona Lee Fultz, Nellie Hickerson,Nita Bouldin, Orion Gallagher, Pam McDonald, Peter Harrell Jr., Quita Culpepper,Rachel Hull-Ryde, Raquel Gavia, Reba Tarjick,Richard Andrew Jones, Richard Robichaux, Rick Dial, Rob Anthony, Robert Works, Sharon Rugsbee, Shirley MacLaine, Sonny Carl Davis, Stacey Bruck,Suzi McLaughlin, Sylvia Froman, Tanja Givens,Taylor Bryant, Teresa Edwards, Tim Cariker,Toby Metcalf, Tommy G. Kendrick, Travis Blevins,Trevor McGinnis, Umpy Bechtol, Wray Crawford
Golden Globe Award Nomination
Best Performance By An Actor in a Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical (Jack Black)
New York Film Critics Award
Best Supporting Actor (Matthew McConaughey)
Nomination
Best Actor (Jack Black)
National Society of Film Critics Award
Best Supporting Actor (Matthew McConaughey)
National Board Of Review Award
Top Ten Independent Films
Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Best Feature
Best Male Lead (Jack Black)
