Featured Audience Ratings

• Spencer S

  
  This film from Richard Linklater is yet another look at small town life and the seedy underbelly of said small town. It looks at the story of the real life murder of Marjorie Nugent by her friend and partner Bernie Tiede. Using talking head interviews with real life residents of… More
  This film from Richard Linklater is yet another look at small town life and the seedy underbelly of said small town. It looks at the story of the real life murder of Marjorie Nugent by her friend and partner Bernie Tiede. Using talking head interviews with real life residents of Carthage, Texas as well as actors, the film takes on a documentary style while also being something of a bio-pic. This inclusion of the residents of the town is one of the best aspects of the film and makes it tirelessly unique as well as entertaining. It's not even these engaging interviews that are the best thing about this film. The performances from the leads are, without hyperbole, some of the best of their respective careers. I have loved watching Matthew McConaughey prove himself in indie films for the past several years, and his performance in this film may be his most understated performance yet. He plays the prosecution in Bernie's case, where he is both the small town lawyer that everyone knows and yet the less than congenial shark that looks to put him away. Shirley Maclaine as the contentious and unforgiving benefactress Marjorie Nugent, portrayed as being very cold and calculating in Bernie's interest. In the beginning of the film, when she meets the lead character, you think the film is going to be about the power of love and changing for the better, or even about a young man taking advantage of a woman who is old and frail. Maclaine plays Marjorie as a fearless and conniving woman who doesn't understand the meaning of "no." Jack Black, beyond a doubt, is the driving force of this film, and gives a performance that is so grounded in Southern sensibility and yet irony. He actually met with the real Bernie Tiede, and his dedication to researching the role pays off in a big way. There is no one else who could have pulled off this role better. The film is straight forward and entertaining, but doesn't grip you or surprise at any time, and that's where most of the criticism comes from for this film. It's about a murder and yet it's so happy go lucky and sweet tempered the entire way through, though it needs to be in order to understand why the trial was moved in the first place. It does shift in tone at times but it's not a gimmicky film at all, and creates characters that really say something rather than have personality quirks.

• Directors C

  
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img]

• Nicki M

  
  Has its moments, but mostly I was bored or distracted watching this one. Not sure why. Performances all good. Liked the small town USA setting. Maybe my mood at the time? Really did think I would enjoy this more than I did. Maybe it was the "documentary" style that… More
  Has its moments, but mostly I was bored or distracted watching this one. Not sure why. Performances all good. Liked the small town USA setting. Maybe my mood at the time? Really did think I would enjoy this more than I did. Maybe it was the "documentary" style that distracted me. Very good acting from Shirley MacLaine and Jack Black.

• Tired of P

  
  Question: Are you a fan of Jack Black? If so, you might want to check out Bernie. It came out last year. Many probably missed the theatrical release because it did not stay out for very long. What a pity since I think this may be Jack Black's best performance to date. Jack… More
  Question: Are you a fan of Jack Black? If so, you might want to check out Bernie. It came out last year. Many probably missed the theatrical release because it did not stay out for very long. What a pity since I think this may be Jack Black's best performance to date. Jack Black is entertaining in everything he does: Tenacious D, his comedic roles and even his dramatic roles which there aren't many. He is a true original and has talent in abundance, but many only acquaint him with the sidekick comedic portrayals when his career started to take off. We may all know him best as the short, over-weight Shallow Hal, the bombastic monk Nacho Libre, or the one-track-mind guitar player in The School of Rock once he started obtaining lead roles. His stint in King Kong was the closest to his most dramatic reach but the overall film was a mess that his performance was muddled and soon forgotten. However, I promise that you have never seen Jack Black quite this way as he portrays real-life Bernie Tiede. The same director of Slacker, The School of Rock, Dazed and Confused, and Before Sunrise, Richard Linklater delved into this true tale from a different perspective - which is something he appears to do with all his films. His style of directing is so diverse that it's hard to pinpoint a "type" per se; except that he appears to tell stories about ordinary people in unique situations that other storytellers might not want to tackle. Bernie is just such a story and was perfect for Linklater's filmmaker abilities. He even told this one differently than his past films with an almost documentary feel with interviews of (real) townspeople intermixed throughout the entire film. The story is based on a newspaper article from Texas that came out a few years back about a man, an assistant funeral director, who was probably the most respected man in town - with good reason - but who is arrested because of an unspeakable act. No one in the town wants to believe it except for the DA Danny Buck, played by Matthew McConaughy. Jack Black's performance was stellar. Bernie was a very kind man; an overly generous person whose sole purpose in life was to make sure people felt comforted when bereaved or not alone when others may have stopped caring. Bernie was liked by all, and by Jack Black's portrayal, you can see why. Bernie's kindness, however, was pushed to the edge and beyond when he befriended a mean, lonely widow played by Shirley MacClaine. Watching Jack Black play this relatively non-comedic character (Bernie is a black comedy) did take a few minutes to get used to. There was always that cusp of whether to laugh or not, but Linklater and Black kept it at a good balance without cheapening the quality of the character or going too cliché. As you witness this man and what he is trying to do with his life, you are simply swept away by the performance. You will forget that he was the stoner brother of Colin Hanks, a Neil Diamond impersonator trying to save his friend or the goof-ball, record-store snob. Well done, Jack Black. Review: 8 out of 10

• Chris W

  
  Before I saw this movie, I knew that Jack Black was a talented performer. Now that I've seen this, I can tell you that he really can act, not just as an exaggerated version of his real self, but truly act act, like genuine thespians do. I really hope he gets awards recognition… More
  Before I saw this movie, I knew that Jack Black was a talented performer. Now that I've seen this, I can tell you that he really can act, not just as an exaggerated version of his real self, but truly act act, like genuine thespians do. I really hope he gets awards recognition for this, because he really deserves it. Black stars in this darkly comedic docudrama based on the real life story of Bernie Tiede- a very effeminate assistant funeral director in the small east Texas town of Carthage, who has the most sunny disposition ever. He is a highly regarded model citizen known for warming even the coldest of hearts. And that's exactly what happens when he befriends Marjorie Nugent- a recently widowed wealthy lady who has a reputation for being very cold, mean, and unpopular in town. Bernie and Marjorie become extremely close, but things turn real sour when, fed up with Marjorie's neediness and badgering, Bernie kills her, hides the body in a freezer, then proceeds to keep up the illusion she's still alive. He also taps into her fortune, but uses the money to help out the community instead of for personal gain. The film is peppered with 'talking head' - style interview moments conducted with actual residents from Carthage who knew the real Bernie and Marjorie, and I thought this was a neat way to portray things. The insights provided by the people make for a great juxtaposition with the performances by the actors, and it's amazing to see how well the fictional portrayals match up with the descriptions of the real life people. What might be best of all is how the film doesn't really take a stance on how you should feel about these people. Linklater just presents things and let's it take off on its own from there. It's also a great strength that the performances of these characters come off as 3-dimensional and developed instead of caricatures, which would have been easy to do, especially in Black's case since Bernie has so many quirks. It does start off as one-note, but does eventually grow into something quite substantial. This is a strong film, but not perfect. For one, the balance in tone is a litle wavering at times, but to be fair, I expected that, given the nature of the story. Also, while the film is funny (mostly pitch black), it's not quite as humorous as Linklater probably thinks it is. It also seems like the film is rather directionless, or maybe purposeless at times, but not enough to completely derail the production. While I know that this isn't going to be a film for everyone, I do recommend it, if only for the performances by Black (his career best so far), Shirley MacLaine (mostly relying on facial expressions and body language, but still great), and Matthew McConaughey as the determined local prosecutor iffy about Bernie, refusing to believe he really is as nice as he seems.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  "I've read numerous of times that <b>Bernie</b> is a film your either going to love or hate. I happen to be in the middle. Jack Black gives out one of his best performances I have seen in a long time. I love Shirley MacLaine. She does well in this role. The story… More
  "I've read numerous of times that <b>Bernie</b> is a film your either going to love or hate. I happen to be in the middle. Jack Black gives out one of his best performances I have seen in a long time. I love Shirley MacLaine. She does well in this role. The story is solid. I even thought bringing in the towns people to help tell the story really was smart. The only problem for me was I just wasn't very interested in the story. Still it has great performances and can be funny at times. Still not something I would watch again."

• Everett J

  
  "Bernie" is an oddball movie that gives the best performance of Jack Blacks career. This isn't his best movie, but in terms of what he's done as an actor, this is his best work. Black is usually hilarious and over the top, but here he is a little reserved, weird,… More
  "Bernie" is an oddball movie that gives the best performance of Jack Blacks career. This isn't his best movie, but in terms of what he's done as an actor, this is his best work. Black is usually hilarious and over the top, but here he is a little reserved, weird, and a character completely different than Jack Black. He plays the title character Bernie who is an assistant funeral director in a tiny Texas town. Everyone loves him, and he loves everyone else. Bernie befriends a widow(Shirley MacLaine) who everyone in the town hates, but Bernie tries to comfort her and they become best friends, and then things get bad. I don't really want to say much more because it would spoil the movie, but it's based on a true story, and it's a weird story at that. Other than Black, Matthew McConaughey plays the towns District Attorney, and he does a great job also. He is almost unrecognizable. It's amazing to see 2 very well known actors transform in the way they do. This movie isn't going to be for everyone. But, if you like quirky independent dramedies, then you should give this a shot. I think Black will get a Spirit and Golden Globe nomination for this. If he doesn't, that's a shame, because he is great.

• Randy T

  
  This is how I've always pictured Texas, outrageous and slightly effeminate.

• Melvin W

  
  Townsperson: Well, Bernie was so nice, so accommodating, so willing to keep from hurting other people's feelings, he just couldn't tell anybody to piss off.  "A story so unbelievable it must be true." Bernie is much more of an absorbing movie than you could ever… More
  Townsperson: Well, Bernie was so nice, so accommodating, so willing to keep from hurting other people's feelings, he just couldn't tell anybody to piss off.  "A story so unbelievable it must be true." Bernie is much more of an absorbing movie than you could ever think possible. It sounded like a weird movie. We have Richard Linklater working with Jack Black again, which is a re-teaming of School of Rock. Then there's the plot, which is based on a true story. There didn't seem to be enough here to make for a truly excellent movie, but I am really happy to say that I couldn't have been more wrong. Bernie is a assistant mortician in Carthage, Texas. He is also described by every townsperson, as the nicest guy you could ever meet. There's nothing he wouldn't do for any person. He was a people person, that cared about everyone more than himself. When a mean old lady loses her husband, Bernie befriends her. Soon they are taking vacations together, and Bernie has complete access to her money. Everything leads to a surprising instance where Bernie can't control himself. The main reason for why this film is so good, is because of the amazing performance from Jack Black. It may be his best performance of his career; up there with School of Rock and King Kong. This isn't the Jack Black you'd expect if all you've seen from him are movies like Saving Silverman, Nacho Libre, or Tenacious D. No, this is a different Jack Black. His performance is nuanced and believable. You get to believing that Black really is Bernie. I never expected a movie this great from all this. I had a lot of respect for both Linklater and Black, but my respect for them now has grown exponentially. Hopefully, we will be lucky enough to see yet another movie from the two working together. I highly recommend Bernie to everyone, even if you have your doubts about it. I sure did, and I couldn't have been more happy I saw it anyway.

• Cynthia S

  
  I guess that you could argue that the acting was good in this, and the star quality strong...but that didn't help this dismal story for me. This is NOT what I would call 'dark humor'. In fact, I didn't see any form of humor that touched my funny bone at any… More
  I guess that you could argue that the acting was good in this, and the star quality strong...but that didn't help this dismal story for me. This is NOT what I would call 'dark humor'. In fact, I didn't see any form of humor that touched my funny bone at any level...just a very boring movie. Really disappointing, because I had read that Jack Black was finally in a good movie, and so on. I disagree...

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>" A story so unbelievable it must be true."</i> 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. <center><font… More
  <i>" A story so unbelievable it must be true."</i> 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. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Jack Black is something else, a man who doesn't look like a star, an everyman, the perfect person to play "Bernie", a real-life character who must be seen to believed, a person who won the hearts of many in Carthage, Texas, made more than few contributions to his community, and for the most part had that community overlook some of his eccentricities. Eventually, Bernie finds himself indicted for a crime he confessed committing, and then the whole world goes crazy. Bernie is composed of a many real-life testimonies who help you understand who this man was. Many of the stories are unbelievable and quite amusing. You know no one could have fabricated some of those facts. The other part of the movie has the reenactments by a very talented cast, headed by Black and Shirley MacLaine, making a triumphant return to the top of her talents. She makes her Mrs. Nugent one of her most memorable creations. There is so much power in Ms. MacLaine's eyes, as her character is one who has managed to build quite a negative reputation in her city for being a hateful and guarded person who can't trust almost no one, until Bernie walks into her life, and she lets her guard down. Another surprise is McConaughey who plays a prosecutor who is known to be one of the few people in Carthage who doesn't trust Bernie's good nature at all. He seems to have plenty of integrity and intelligence, and when he finally gets to try Bernie there's plenty of conviction in the way he delivers his lines. "Bernie" is a small but potent dark comedy, a film that will have you laughing at the most unexpected situations, at how strange human nature can be, and it can also make you think that life is truly stranger than fiction.

• Luke B

  
  Bernie is the tale of the nicest man in the world, Bernie Tiede. He's good at his job, as an assistant funeral director, and he gets on well with most of the community that he lives in. One day Bernie Tiede tries to make friends with recently widowed Marjorie Nugent. Bernie takes… More
  Bernie is the tale of the nicest man in the world, Bernie Tiede. He's good at his job, as an assistant funeral director, and he gets on well with most of the community that he lives in. One day Bernie Tiede tries to make friends with recently widowed Marjorie Nugent. Bernie takes pity on her as the rest of the community seem to have a distinct dislike of her. However, she soon becomes very possessive of Bernie and there's only so far you can push someone. Bernie is a wonderful dark comedy that looks at social conventions and how sometimes no matter what, peoples perceptions are never changed. The whole point of the film does strongly suggest that we should be nice, but also know when to step away from something that is unhealthy for us. Jack Black gives a fantastic performance, possibly his best, as the sweet natured man that just can't say no. MacLaine alsoi brings a lot to her role. She isn't just cold and heartless, she has just been very lonely for a very long time. This means it is hard for her to maintain relationships. McConaughey is also on form as Danny Buck, the enthusiastic DA of the small town. He really comes into his own in the last act when he is simply confused by everyone's reaction to the case. It has the humour but is also very heartfelt, and also works as a social commentary. The absurdity of the townspeople is quite understandable, but it is also pointed out how they accepted money from Bernie. Linklater does well to frame the film as an almost documentary. Real life townspeople play themselves and talk to the camera about their experiences, and it is amazing that after all this time they are still behind Bernie. This is a wonderful look at human nature, and questions if being nice is all it takes to be excused from unspeakable crimes.

• Reid V

  
  Bernie is a fascinating black comedy docu-drama that shows how even in the face of facts, convictions, & those pesky confessions, the court of public opinion still reigns supreme. After the violent slaying of Majorie Nugent, one of the many colorful residents that make up the… More
  Bernie is a fascinating black comedy docu-drama that shows how even in the face of facts, convictions, & those pesky confessions, the court of public opinion still reigns supreme. After the violent slaying of Majorie Nugent, one of the many colorful residents that make up the small town of Carthage, Texas, nobody could have suspected that the predator would have been the lovable, tender, town-treasure Bernie Tiede. But to the horror of many, Bernie is found guilty & sentenced to a life in prison. Aghast, the citizens of Carthage took stock of the situation & appear to have collectively decided that regardless of what the judge may read, or what the prison bars may suggest, Bernie is innocent of the crime. Director Richard Linklater impressively captures this instance of communal doublethink by braiding together a reenactment of Bernieâ(TM)s life with documentary footage & interviews with the quirky townsfolk. (Some are stand-ins for the actual citizens while others are genuine residents.) Through these interviews, Linklater illuminates how even with the knowledge of the murder firmly entrenched in their minds, most still choose to cling to Bernieâ(TM)s innocence. In doing so, they remember the recently dispatched - the victim in this whole ordeal - as nothing more than an ornery bridge troll. Nothing she had done warranted her death. But because she burdened the town's hagiographical perception of the man, she might as well have been a mass-murdering dog rapist. Nobody knows the gospel truth, but in these interviews everyone speaks with conviction, & on Bernieâ(TM)s behalf. Linklater's direction is as gentle & as graceful as the aura Bernie projects. He brings up very intriguing points, but never crams them down the viewerâ(TM)s throat. And the way he chooses to portray Bernie is smartly done. Much like the truth itself, there is a heavy dose of objectivity, but it is greatly colored by perception. The interviews feel candid & it is truly impossible to decipher who are the actual citizens of Carthage, and who are just persuasive actors. Even his approach to Carthage is sweet. These people aren't meant to be pitied. He captures the pride that the citizens of Carthage have for their hometown without making them the object of scorn. The people of Carthage - like the residents of any town - fancy their town to be the best, making Carthage a proper simulacrum of any small town. It is a difficult task to make viewers feel an affinity for a group of people whom they know are in the wrong, but one that Linklater accomplishes surprisingly well. While Linklaterâ(TM)s touch is important to the success of this film, much can be attributed to Jack Black's stellar performance. In the film, one resident described Bernie as having the ability to make the world seem kind. Infused with such tenderness, Black brings this enigmatic figure to life. Playing it straight, never once winking at the audience, one cannot help but feel affection for the man. In essence, this performance helps the audience become just one of the many citizens of Carthage. Even knowing Bernieâ(TM)s culpability, itâ(TM)s nearly impossible not to root for the guy. The film could have benefitted from some trimming, as some scenes seemed overstay their welcome. Also, iâ(TM)m a bit befuddled by Matthew Mcconaugheyâ(TM)s character. Not Mcconaughey himself. He is actually quite good here. But his character is so bombastic that it was a bit confusing & didnâ(TM)t seem to jive well with the rest of the film. In the end, there is much to be admired about the film even though it may not be not the most rewatchable. Black is a marvel & Linklater)s command is thoroughly impressive. Making what could have been a confusing little picture & making it a highly effective piece of art.

• c0up  

  
  'Bernie'. Jack Black disappears into the friendly, lovable killer, and McConaughey steals every scene he's in. A wicked, dark comedy.

• Mark W

  
  Richard Linklater has always been a reliable "lesser scale" director. He made his name with impressive indie film "Slacker" in 1991 and since then he's consistently delivered impressive shifts in genre. Although not exactly a household name, anyone aware of… More
  Richard Linklater has always been a reliable "lesser scale" director. He made his name with impressive indie film "Slacker" in 1991 and since then he's consistently delivered impressive shifts in genre. Although not exactly a household name, anyone aware of his work is rarely disappointed. His latest in Bernie, is yet another shift for him and, unsurprisingly, another success. In the small town of Carthage, Texas, Bernie Tiede (Jack Black) is a generous and well respected undertaker who is directly involved with the local church and has a great rapport with the townsfolk. Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine) is also one of the locals but is disliked by many due to her bad attitude and vast wealth. After she is recently widowed, Bernie lends her his friendship and becomes directly involved in her affairs- eventually taking over as her carer. However, Marjorie becomes completely dependent on Bernie to the point where he increasingly struggles to please her and also continue his work in the local church going community. With this film being based on actual events, I'd rather not reveal too much about it. Many will already be aware of the turns of events that take place (as was I) but I think this would work better with a slight element of surprise to it. Suffice to say that Linklater constructs it in a faux-documentary style and makes clever use of combining interviews with both actors and the real life people that lived through the events themselves. The lines between fact and fiction are skilfully blurred and it's helped immeasurably by an exceptionally good cast; normally I'm not in the camp of Jack Black enthusiasts but here, he is very good indeed. This is a role that's entirely suited to him and he mostly does away with his usual schtick of smarm and irritating humour and replaces it with an odd charisma and endearment. He's more reserved and captures the essence of his character that is, on the one hand, very likeable, yet highly ambiguous in his intentions. Whichever way he comes across, it's hard to be judgmental of him. It's not just Black that shine here though; it's great to see the marvellous Shirley MacLaine excel in a role that allows her to be a complete cantankerous bitch and there's yet another role (this year) that allows Matthew McConaughey to display his talents. Love or loathe the recent film's of McConaughey (and I admittedly fall into the latter), there's no denying that he's finally taking on roles that reflect his abilities. In fact, one of the slight let down's with this film is that McConaughey is underused - he's brilliant but just not in it enough. Where this film succeeds though, is in it's structure and the welcome touch of wry humour coursing through it, taking the edge off of what is essentially a disturbing turn of events. As much as this film is a character study, it's also the study of small town mentality. A town that's full of Chinese-whispers and curtain-twitchers, yet a major event is overlooked by near enough everyone, in order to maintain their facade and their delusional sense of goodwill. In this respect, Linklater and co-writer Skip Hollandsworth nail it and deliver an intriguing, low-key treat. A quirky, off-beat and humorous little drama that possesses just enough of a dark undertone to keep almost everyone entertained.

• Dan S

  
  A dark, uniquely constructed film based on a true story of a simple, lovable mortician (Jack Black) who befriended an older, nastier widow (Shirley MacLaine), before inexplicably murdering her in shocking fashion. There have been many doubters concerning Black's longevity and… More
  A dark, uniquely constructed film based on a true story of a simple, lovable mortician (Jack Black) who befriended an older, nastier widow (Shirley MacLaine), before inexplicably murdering her in shocking fashion. There have been many doubters concerning Black's longevity and even quality as an actor in the past, but this film, thanks to his phenomenal, simply wonderful performance, erases all doubts that he belongs in films like this. Director Richard Linklater has bounced all over the map in terms of style of film, and in terms of taking on the genre of comedy again (with Black, again), in this case, a very black one, he passes the test well. The movie does seem to drag on a little near the end and it feels a lot longer than it should be, but the way Linklater puts this together, thanks to some real testimonies from the citizens of Bernie's hometown of Carthage, TX, makes this film feel authentic and likeable despite being so dark and sad. As said, Jack Black turns in a remarkable performance, possibly the best of his career, and if nothing else you should see it for the special, though tragic, character he plays here.

• Manu G

  
  A story so unbelievable it must be true. Decent good movie! I wish that the script stayed as consistent as its performances. All of them are at the top of their game. Black finally found his sweet spot, sweet, funny, and being able to use an accent. And Shirley MacLaine gives another… More
  A story so unbelievable it must be true. Decent good movie! I wish that the script stayed as consistent as its performances. All of them are at the top of their game. Black finally found his sweet spot, sweet, funny, and being able to use an accent. And Shirley MacLaine gives another effortless performance while McConaughey brings life to the film's third act. I also think that the ending of this movie shouldn't have ended the way it did. It was too dribbled down by the end, that the ending intrigue wasn't even worth using if you were going to kill it off ten minutes before the payoff. But don't get me wrong, there were multiple positive points throughout this movie. The performances, the charm, the climax, and its unique feeling made 'Bernie' worth watching despite its many flaws and inconsistencies. In the tiny, rural town of Carthage, Texas, assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede was one of the town's most beloved residents. He taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Everyone loved and appreciated Bernie, so it came as no surprise when he befriended Marjorie Nugent, an affluent widow who was as well known for her sour attitude as her fortune. Bernie frequently traveled with Marjorie and even managed her banking affairs. Marjorie quickly became fully dependent on Bernie and his generosity and Bernie struggled to meet her increasing demands. Bernie continued to handle her affairs, and the townspeople went months without seeing Marjorie.

• Alexander D

  
  It's easy to admit that Jack Black has not crafted himself an all too commendable career. To name just one of his roles would get me spewing a barrage of films that would have quite simply been more memorable without him, so I will refrain from doing so. BERNIE is the second… More
  It's easy to admit that Jack Black has not crafted himself an all too commendable career. To name just one of his roles would get me spewing a barrage of films that would have quite simply been more memorable without him, so I will refrain from doing so. BERNIE is the second collaboration in nine years between director Richard Linklater and Jack Black, following SCHOOL OF ROCK. Knowing such, it's automatic that most of our expectations are high. Yes, SCHOOL OF ROCK featured Jack Black playing not much more than, well, Jack Black, but that performance stands out as by far the best comedic delivery in his entire career. Bernie does not star Mr. Black as his usual character, though. This is a far more dramatic role. Ironically, it's handled in a straightforward, contained manner that makes any mark of stupid behavior or silly humor in the actor's career utterly untraceable. I dare say he often appears to exceed the abilities of more generally talented performers such as Shirley MacLaine and Matthew McConaughey, and is therefore the least of reasons to dismiss the film. It's likely that although BERNIE was given its theatrical release just less than four months ago, not too many have heard of it, and even fewer have seen it. The film was given a very limited release and therefore made only $8.4 million at the box office. This is quite a shame, considering how clever and well-made the film is. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it, now that it's publicly available on home video. Those who can appreciate the darkly seriocomic script on which this relies will easily find lots to guffaw at. It's not an instant classic like FARGO, in which EVERY possible risk is taken and achieved greatly, as far as attempts to make an audience burst into laughter during horrifying situations. It is, however, a witty and memorable "viewing". (I apologize for the bad pun.) read the rest at themoviefreakblog.com

• Sam B

  
  Jack Black gives a very different, very fascinating performance in this almost-great dark comedy with a smart script, that unfortunately fails to add emotional weight at its defining moments.

• Greg S

  
  The residents of a small East Texas town can't believe that their mild-mannered and much beloved assistant funeral director has been accused of murdering the richest---and bitchiest---widow in town. Jack Black is impressive in this friendly black comedy and proves that he can be… More
  The residents of a small East Texas town can't believe that their mild-mannered and much beloved assistant funeral director has been accused of murdering the richest---and bitchiest---widow in town. Jack Black is impressive in this friendly black comedy and proves that he can be still be funny when subtle, but the real stars of the film are the citizens of Carthage, Texas (some played by real townspeople), who act as the comic chorus and paint an endearing, funny and believable portrait of small town life.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings