Post by Dreamchild on Jun 22, 2012 1:17:11 GMT -8
Portrait of a lovable sinner.
Warning: Major spoilers follow.
Warning: Some major spoilers follow.
Bernie is a movie that's a little hard to explain. It's a mockumentary, but it actually incorporates non-fictionalized interviews into a narrative. A splendid dark comedy, the movie stars Jack Black as the titular subject, along with Shirley MacLaine and Matthew McConaughey. (Black and McConaughey co-starred in Tropic Thunder back in 2008.)
The film's opening sets the endearingly dark tone immediately: Bernie lectures about the proper way to embalm the dearly departed. He uses super glue to seal resistant eyelids, an already darkly humorous moment complimented by Bernie's perky and upbeat demeanor. While not a gut-busting laugh, I did chuckle heartily, and the movie is full of those moments.
Bernie Tiede is a compassionate, effeminate funeral director, devout Christian, and generally everybody's favorite guy, residing in Carthage, Texas. He engages in a close relationship with the newly widowed Marjorie Nugent (MacLaine), a local millionaire. Despite a promising start, even the sunny and whimsical Bernie can't tame the self-centered and emotionally abusive Nugent. He eventually murders the ice queen, but isn't caught until nine months later. District attorney Danny Buck Davidson (McConaughey) prosecutes Berniein his trial.
Even though Bernie shot an old woman four times in the back, and he was sentenced to life in prison (currently serving), I couldn't help but feel for the guy as I left the theater. There are two sides to every story, and those seeking the truth may not like what is presented here. Just like the excellent The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007), only one side of the story is presented. The other side--Nugent's side--is brushed over in favor of Bernie. He's painted as a sympathetic man who, despite flaws, is really a good man. However sinful his crimes, he's portrayed as likable, sweet, and caring. He just made serious mistakes, and has to pay for them.
And, like Kong, that's good enough for me. I didn't watch this movie expecting both sides to be explained fair and square. I came to watch an entertaining movie.
Entertained I was. MacLaine relishes in her role as the Ultimate Bitch. She is self-absorbed, condescending, mean-spirited and just insufferable. No wonder Bernie killed that old bag! As Davidson, McConaughey is also excellent as the Texan Javert who, while in the unenviable position of not being the sympathetic central figure, is a gung-ho man with a strong (albeit chauvinistic) adherence to the law. But the true star of the movie, naturally is Jack Black. While known best for Tenacious D and goofball comedies, Black has proven that he's a strong actor, and, as Bernie Tiede, delivers his absolutely best performance to date. He completely nails the character, a man who (presented in the film, at least) isn't wicked, just naive and compulsive. Black has actually met with the real Tiede, and no doubt their meeting fueled the strangely endearing killer.
The narrative is interwoven with interviews that, I gather, are mixed with fiction and acting. It's very interesting how the movie pulled this off, and, honestly, I struggle to think what was real and what wasn't. But like I said, whether or not this movie is accurate, that doesn't matter to me. I really enjoyed this movie, and it only made me interested in pursuing the real Tiede and Nugent after it was over.
My only big complaint is the setting. The murder took place in 1996, but the movie does a bad job explaining the time it takes place in. More to the point, there are anachronisms everywhere, such as iPhones and recent cars, a recent MacBook, and very recent car registration stickers on cars. Whether the movie takes place now or in 1996, they simply botched the time.
Regardless, Richard Linklater's Bernie is a pleasant, little film featuring a knockout performance by Jack Black, genuinely funny (albeit grim) humor both intentional and not, and surprising charm. How much you'll enjoy Bernie depends on your tolerance of mockumentaries and dark comedies, but for my money, Bernie did more than kill an old woman... he also stole my heart.
**** out of *****
