Director: Richard Linklater
Starring: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey
Running Time: 104 minutes
Certificate: 12A
Synopsis: In the small Texas town of Carthage, local mortician Bernie Tiede (Jack Black) is the neighbourhood hero, with no task too small. But as wealthy widow Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine) begins to take advantage of Bernie, his kind-hearted nature begins to be overtaken by a much darker streak.
Having previously worked with Jack Black in hit comedy SCHOOL OF ROCK, Richard Linklater clearly has an excellent working relationship with Mr Black, whose performance shines during the course of the film. Obviously caring a great deal about the story of Bernie Tiede, Black plays him with flair, vigour and a large dose of likability which an audience would naturally expect from him. However, it is the moving away from his usual character type which is really of interest here, with BERNIE undoubtedly his greatest performance to date.
With a well put together supporting cast, Matthew McConaughey offers a voice of reason and bastion of law as DA Danny Buck and is similarly cast somewhat against type. MacLaine plays the horrible, old Mrs Nugent with a believable level of control, and her domineering behaviour towards Bernie makes her feel more than worthy of her fate.
The story is told in an innovative and extremely entertaining way, with the townspeople of Carthage giving interviews in retrospect of Bernie’s life and times throughout the film. This also lends a certain dramatic irony to the film’s proceedings, leaving those who aren’t aware of what eventually happens to Tiede continually guessing. In some ways playing as a documentary on account of these interviews, this may be a source of annoyance to some who will feel like they are being spoon-fed information about Bernie, Marjorie and Carthage itself. However, these interviews lend a level of originality to the film which is scarcely seen elsewhere and really sets BERNIE apart from other films of its type.
A true story is always a risky option as a film subject. A true story depicting the life and trials of a murderer who the audience might actually empathise with is even more daring. As battle-axe Marjorie becomes the catalyst for a slippery slope towards murder, Richard Linklater’s BERNIE very effectively questions the idea of going the extra mile to help people who don’t always deserve it.
BERNIE is released in UK cinemas on April 26th.
