Bernie (2011)

In small-town Texas, the local mortician strikes up a friendship with a wealthy widow, though when he kills her, he goes to great lengths to create the illusion that she's alive.

Director:

Richard Linklater

Writers:

Skip Hollandsworth (based on the article in Texas Monthly by), Skip Hollandsworth (screenplay),

Stars:

Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 8 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack Black	...	Bernie Tiede
Shirley MacLaine	...	Marjorie Nugent
Matthew McConaughey	...	Danny Buck
Brady Coleman	...	Scrappy Holmes
Richard Robichaux	...	Lloyd Hornbuckle
Rick Dial	...	Don Leggett
Brandon Smith	...	Sheriff Huckabee
Larry Jack Dotson	...	Rev. Woodard
Merrilee McCommas	...	Molly
Mathew Greer	...	Carl
Marjorie Dome	...	Townsperson
Tim Cariker	...	Townsperson
Fern Luker	...	Townsperson
Jack Payne	...	Townsperson
Sonny Carl Davis	...	Townsperson (as Sonny Davis)

Storyline

We meet Bernie Tiede (1958- ), a chubby undertaker, who takes pride in his work. He's a Gospel-singing tenor. In a series of interviews with townspeople, mixed with flashbacks, we follow Bernie: he arrives in Carthage, Texas (pop. 7,000), where old ladies adore him; he befriends a wealthy, mean-spirited widow named Marjorie Nugent; they become companions in both daily routines and expensive vacations. Among those interviewed, only her stockbroker and Danny Buck, the local district attorney, are unsympathetic toward the sunny, sometimes saccharine Bernie. Marjorie changes from sour and alone to happy with Bernie; then she gets possessive. What will sweet Bernie do?

---

Plot Keywords:

widow | texas | interview | funeral director | flashback | 

---

Taglines:

A story so unbelievable it must be true.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some violent images and brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Millennium Entertainment [us] Official site [jp]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 June 2012 (Iceland)

Also Known As:

Bernie - Leichen pflastern seinen Weg

Filming Locations:

Lockhart, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$85,805 (USA) (27 April 2012)

Gross:

$9,203,192 (USA) (14 September 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mandalay Vision, Wind Dancer Productions, Detour Filmproduction

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There are several scenes that show Bernie (Jack Black) in rehearsals for different community theater musicals. He sings the duet "I've Never Been in Love Before", which ends the first act of Guys and Dolls; he also sings "Seventy-six Trombones" from The Music Man.

---

Goofs

In the beginning of the movie where he is driving into Carthage, there are reflections of his vehicle which show a camera assembly on the passenger side of the vehicle with crew sitting in the seats.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Professor Fleming: I'm very honored to introduce our guest lecturer today. He graduated from here about 15 years ago. He's gone on to a fabulous career. I can't think of a single person who's more qualified or more adept at the final procedures you've been studying lately. Now you've learned the science. Now's your chance to learn the art. Students, Mr. Bernie Tiede...

---

Crazy Credits

Before the main credits roll, photos of the real-life Bernie and Marjorie together are shown, along with a brief video of Bernie Teide talking with Jack Black.

---

Connections

References Weekend at Bernie's (1989)

---

Soundtracks

"Seventy-Six Trombones"
Written by Meredith Willson
Performed by Jack Black
Courtesy of Caryn Minoun/Disc On Demand

User Reviews

Most entertaining movie of 2012 so far

Jack Black could not be surpassed in his spot-on perfect role as a smooth, calm, perfectly groomed and organized, sycophantic, servile, gay/asexual "assistant funeral director" in this small East TX community composed mostly of country oddballs and other distinctive rural folk that were hilarious in their own right. The story was based on real events, and real townspeople who knew the real Bernie were used for extras/characters, and some were so good that it was clear that they could have been real actors if they had chosen that direction instead of staying in Carthage, TX and knowing the real Bernie. They gave hilarious insights into Bernie and his story that otherwise would not have been so uniquely entertaining and effective if actors were used instead.

Jack as Bernie exposed some serious singing/dancing chops too, as he not only was a meticulous funeral home star, he also starred in church and social activities that only someone who had his great talent to please and entertain in his heart could ever do. But, Bernie perhaps showed his greatest talent as the only person in town who could tolerate and even befriend Mrs. Nugent(a really old Shirley MacLaine), the town's presiding meanest old bitch. After he slowly became irreplaceable to her by always agreeably doing her ridiculous bidding, she hired Bernie to travel the world with her on her dime and to be her personal manservant/slave, which sadly decomposed to a low point where the shocking and unbelievable event that caused Bernie's downfall was sure to happen.

This hilarious mockumentary is making a serious surge to the head of the line for "Best Movie of 2012 So Far". Don't miss it.