Anyone who knows me knows I am a sucker for true-crime TV shows. Things like "Snapped", "Dateline", "20/20"- I love watching all of them. And every once in a while I do enjoy watching a movie that is based on true crimes. "Bernie" is one such film.
"Bernie" is a film directed by Richard Linklater that focuses on a true murder story from east Texas. The movie tells the story of Bernie Tiede- a talented, well-liked and pleasant mortician who works in a funeral home in Carthage, Texas. He befriends the crotchety grand dame of the town named Marjorie Nugent, and he ends up becoming her live-in travel buddy as well as her business manager. Things eventually become tense between the two and Bernie ends up shooting the 81 year old woman and hides her body in a chest freezer for 9 months before anyone catches on. Tiede confesses to the murder in 1996, but oddly enough the town of Carthage rallies behind him rather than condemning him for the murder. The trial had to be moved to another county in order to be received by an unbiased jury, and Tiede was later found guilty of murder and was convinced in 1999.
Jack Black stars as the title role, and is supported by Shirley MacLaine as Mrs. Nugent and Matthew McConaughey as district attorney Danny Buck Davidson, who helps bring Bernie to justice. The film is a dark comedy; honestly, with such a strange true story it couldn't be anything else in my opinion. Linklater brings humor and levity to grim subject matter with ease, as all of his leads have perfect comedic timing.
Linklater also not only relies on a strong leading cast, but he also uses a lot of people who either portray or are actual citizens of Carthage, Texas. They act almost like a Greek chorus by helping tell the audience more information about the characters and the story at hand, but they also add a fair amount of laughs and good Southern charm to the story. While the performances of the leads are solid enough on their own, the townspeople add great jokes and laughs with their gossipy input.
For anyone who has ever lived in a small town, you know just how much information you can get about what's going on in town through the grapevine and that has not escaped Linklater. Using the townspeople to put their two cents in not only added a lot of humor but it also blends in a richness and relatability that can only be found in small town gossip. I also really love the idea that local people could be a part of a film that lets them tell the world about a strange story from their home. It's brilliantly done in a way that doesn't demean the people of Carthage, but it actually helps make them seem all the more charming.
Another thing that really impressed me with the film was the attention to the relationship that is formed between Nugent and Tiede; how it starts off innocently enough, and eventually becomes emotionally and psychologically draining for both people. You can really see why someone who is kind-hearted and sweet-spirited could snap thanks to the constant psychological pressure and eventual mental torture put upon them from someone they genuinely care about. Jack Black, who is known for his off-the-wall comedic acting really does a solid job as a sympathetic victim of circumstance. It's also very impressive on how much focus went into making each of the characters look like their real-life counterparts. That alone is highly commendable and is fun to see.
The film was released in 2012 and was well received by critics and audiences alike. The film was shot on a modest $6,000,000 budget and made back $10.1 million respectively. The film also garnered enough publicity that it has also played a role in getting the real Bernie Tiede released from prison for a short while, however he we sent back in April of this year.
I highly recommend this film; not only is is hilarious, and truly interesting on so many levels but it really showcases the serious acting chops of not just the leads, but it's entire cast. The film is insanely enjoyable and well worth the watch.
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| Tiede was not only a well-liked mortician, but he was also active in everything from doing obituaries over the radio, helping his church, and being active in local theater. [Found on Google Images] |
Linklater also not only relies on a strong leading cast, but he also uses a lot of people who either portray or are actual citizens of Carthage, Texas. They act almost like a Greek chorus by helping tell the audience more information about the characters and the story at hand, but they also add a fair amount of laughs and good Southern charm to the story. While the performances of the leads are solid enough on their own, the townspeople add great jokes and laughs with their gossipy input.
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| Nugent and Tiede on vacation [Found on Google Images] |
For anyone who has ever lived in a small town, you know just how much information you can get about what's going on in town through the grapevine and that has not escaped Linklater. Using the townspeople to put their two cents in not only added a lot of humor but it also blends in a richness and relatability that can only be found in small town gossip. I also really love the idea that local people could be a part of a film that lets them tell the world about a strange story from their home. It's brilliantly done in a way that doesn't demean the people of Carthage, but it actually helps make them seem all the more charming.
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| Side-by-side of the real Bernie and Marjorie vs. their Hollywood counterparts. [Found on Google Images] |
The film was released in 2012 and was well received by critics and audiences alike. The film was shot on a modest $6,000,000 budget and made back $10.1 million respectively. The film also garnered enough publicity that it has also played a role in getting the real Bernie Tiede released from prison for a short while, however he we sent back in April of this year.
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| McConaughey as the ever-vigilant Danny Buck [Found on Google Images] |
I highly recommend this film; not only is is hilarious, and truly interesting on so many levels but it really showcases the serious acting chops of not just the leads, but it's entire cast. The film is insanely enjoyable and well worth the watch.
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