Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Bernie

  • 2011
  • PG-13
  • 1h 44m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
66K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,212
386
Matthew McConaughey, Shirley MacLaine, and Jack Black in Bernie (2011)
In small-town Texas, the friendship between the well-liked local mortician and a a reviled wealthy widow becomes the focus of much debate and scandal once she turns up dead.
Play trailer2:09
16 Videos
99+ Photos
Dark ComedyDocudramaTrue CrimeBiographyComedyCrimeDrama

In small-town Texas, an affable mortician strikes up a friendship with a wealthy widow, though when she starts to become controlling, he goes to great lengths to separate himself from her gr... Read allIn small-town Texas, an affable mortician strikes up a friendship with a wealthy widow, though when she starts to become controlling, he goes to great lengths to separate himself from her grasp.In small-town Texas, an affable mortician strikes up a friendship with a wealthy widow, though when she starts to become controlling, he goes to great lengths to separate himself from her grasp.

  • Director
    • Richard Linklater
  • Writers
    • Skip Hollandsworth
    • Richard Linklater
  • Stars
    • Jack Black
    • Shirley MacLaine
    • Matthew McConaughey
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    66K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    4,212
    386
    • Director
      • Richard Linklater
    • Writers
      • Skip Hollandsworth
      • Richard Linklater
    • Stars
      • Jack Black
      • Shirley MacLaine
      • Matthew McConaughey
    • 184User reviews
    • 229Critic reviews
    • 75Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 10 wins & 19 nominations total

    Videos16

    U.S. Version
    Trailer 2:09
    U.S. Version
    Bernie
    Clip 1:05
    Bernie
    Bernie
    Clip 1:05
    Bernie
    Bernie
    Clip 0:43
    Bernie
    Bernie: She Had Bernie (Spanish Subtitled)
    Clip 1:33
    Bernie: She Had Bernie (Spanish Subtitled)
    Bernie: Bernie Did It (Spanish Subtitled)
    Clip 1:20
    Bernie: Bernie Did It (Spanish Subtitled)
    Bernie: Clip 15
    Clip 0:22
    Bernie: Clip 15

    Photos134

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 127
    View Poster

    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Jack Black
    Jack Black
    • Bernie Tiede
    Shirley MacLaine
    Shirley MacLaine
    • Marjorie Nugent
    Matthew McConaughey
    Matthew McConaughey
    • Danny Buck
    Brady Coleman
    • Scrappy Holmes
    Richard Robichaux
    Richard Robichaux
    • Lloyd Hornbuckle
    Rick Dial
    • Don Leggett
    Brandon Smith
    • Sheriff Huckabee
    Larry Jack Dotson
    Larry Jack Dotson
    • Rev. Woodard
    Merrilee McCommas
    • Molly
    Mathew Greer
    • Carl
    • (as Matthew Greer)
    Marjorie Dome
    • Townsperson
    Tim Cariker
    • Townsperson
    Fern Luker
    • Townsperson
    Jack Payne
    • Townsperson
    Sonny Carl Davis
    Sonny Carl Davis
    • Townsperson
    • (as Sonny Davis)
    Chris Humphrey
    Chris Humphrey
    • Townsperson
    Ann Reeves
    • Townsperson
    Kay Epperson
    • Townsperson
    • Director
      • Richard Linklater
    • Writers
      • Skip Hollandsworth
      • Richard Linklater
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Me and Orson Welles
    6.7
    Me and Orson Welles
    It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books
    5.6
    It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books
    Tape
    7.2
    Tape
    Fast Food Nation
    6.3
    Fast Food Nation
    Scorpion Spring
    4.4
    Scorpion Spring
    The Newton Boys
    6.1
    The Newton Boys
    Last Flag Flying
    6.9
    Last Flag Flying
    Slacker
    7.0
    Slacker
    Waking Life
    7.6
    Waking Life
    Edtv
    6.1
    Edtv
    A Scanner Darkly
    7.0
    A Scanner Darkly
    Everybody Wants Some!!
    6.9
    Everybody Wants Some!!

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Real residents of Carthage, Texas who knew the real Bernie Tiede and Marjorie Nugent appear in the film providing commentary on the events.
    • Goofs
      Bernie committed the murder in 1996, yet he answers an iPhone nearly right after the murder.
    • Quotes

      Townsperson: [talking about Marjorie Nugent] She would chew your ass out at the drop of a hat. I mean, she'd rip you a brand new, three-bedroom, two-bath, double-wide asshole. No problem.

    • 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.
    • Alternate versions
      According to the Technical specs link for the film, there are two different versions of this movie: one running 1 hr 39 min (99 min), and the other for 1 hr 44 min (104 min) (USA).
    • Connections
      Featured in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Jack Black/New York City's Meatball Shop Guys/Beirut (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      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

    User reviews184

    Featured review
    8/10

    Excellent and very funny black comedy

    A mortician strikes up a friendship with a rich controlling businesswoman that doesn't have good consequences.

    The film is told like a documentary with interviews with people who knew the pair along with flashbacks to stages in their relationship. It's an interesting format and one that works well. The story flows well and holds your attention throughout. This is a good example of a black comedy that really works with a sparkling and very witty script with lots of well observed and funny moments but also some good dark drama.

    It features a strong cast with Jack Black as a popular mortician.The stand out performance for me was by Matthew McConaughey as the charismatic cop trying to put Black behind bars.

    Bernie is one of those films that you watch with low expectations but which surprises you with how good it is. It deserves a much higher rating than it's current 6.8 (36,466 votes). Highly recommended.
    • MattyGibbs
    • Dec 8, 2014
    • Permalink

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ21

    • How long is Bernie?Powered by Alexa
    • Is it Jack Black doing the singing in the movie Bernie?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 22, 2012 (Iceland)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Wind Dancer Productions
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Nghi Phạm Bernie
    • Filming locations
      • Carthage, Texas, USA
    • Production companies
      • Mandalay Vision
      • Wind Dancer Productions
      • Detour Filmproduction
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $5,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $9,206,470
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $85,805
      • Apr 29, 2012
    • Gross worldwide
      • $10,173,061
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 44 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Matthew McConaughey, Shirley MacLaine, and Jack Black in Bernie (2011)
    Top Gap
    What is the Brazilian Portuguese language plot outline for Bernie (2011)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.