Bernie [Blu-ray]

Unexpected but quite good
Let me state upfront that I knew literally next to nothing about the movie's plot when I went to see it recently at my indie-movie theatre here in Cincinnati. I had heard good things about it, and that was good enough for me to check it out. Well, I was in for quite a surprise.

"Bernie" (95 min.) brings the story of Bernie Tiede (played by Jack Black) as a funeral director (excuse me, "assistant" funeral director) in Carthage, TX. Bernie is the most likeable guy you'll ever meet. He is involved in the community like no-one else before, and the small town just things the world of him. At one of the funerals, Bernie meets widow Marjorie Nugent (played by Shirley McLaine), and they strike a friendship. Marjorie is viewed by everyone as a b*tch, but the two of them get along just great. Things take a turn for the worse as Marjorie becomes more and more possesive of Bernie, and it all builds up to a confrontation between the two, and Bernie shoots her. I won't tell more of the...

Possibly the greatest film on small-town America in this decade
Bernie is the new masterpiece by Richard Linklater. The fact that he could turn such a difficult premise to such a successful black comedy/drama is remarkable. This may be one of the greatest works on small-town America in this decade. Though Bernie may not have the breadth of a work like Fargo, it does magic in how it tells its story.

Really, the most fascinating thing about Bernie is the way the story is told. Rather than give us a linear story, Bernie story is mostly retold by the residents of Carthage, TX who were witnessed to the gruesome events that occurred in this innocent town. This style can backfire gloriously if these characters are too animated, but Linklater strikes the right tone. With a Texan accent and some Southern innocence, these characters all suit the benefits the main story line. He seamlessly alternates between the world of the main characters and residents. This is very competent screenwriting as Linklater only uses his main characters when they are...

I know the real Bernie!!
This is a great movie! We (people who know Bernie and or lived in Carthage) thought that there was no way that a movie could be made about a murder and be funny....But with the cast and the bizarre "this can't be true" storyline, it blew me away. I am going to see it in Carthage on Sunday with my mom and her sister, my aunt, who is in the movie. If you are a Jack Black fan...then this is a "must see".

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