This quirky east Texas murder
mystery screens more like a documentary than a true-to-form comedy. Reenactments
of events are interspersed with interviews from townspeople "“ all of whom are
actually from around Carthage, the town in which the film is set. The one
exception is Kay McConaughey, Matthew's mom. She's absolutely hysterical and
one of my favorite parts of the film.
Bernie follows Bernie Tiede, the town's assistant funeral director
played by Jack Black, as he befriends a wealthy but ridiculously cantankerous
widow, Mrs. Nugent (MacLaine). As the film and their relationship progress,
Bernie feels increasingly taken advantage of and mistreated by Mrs. Nugent,
which eventually escalates to Bernie shooting her multiple times. Throughout
the film, townspeople are interviewed to describe Bernie, Mrs. Nugent, their
relationship, and also the District Attorney, Danny Buck Davidson
(McConaughey). Despite how absolutely insane and random this plot is, it's
actually a true story, made famous by Skip Hollandsworth (also a screenwriter
for the film) in a Texas Monthly
article.
Jack Black's performance as an
effeminate funeral director with a startlingly good singing voice is definitely
the highlight of the film. Black shows off his vocal abilities with classic
renditions of hymns that reek of gospel tradition. McConaughey's performance as
the self-assured small town D.A. isn't remarkable, though he is capable of
pulling off the distinct east Texas accent well. Shirley MacLain's
interpretation of a surly oil widow is none-too-surprising, and she manages to
dance a fine line of being just right and over-the-top.
Bernie is a film that people from the South will appreciate and
understand best; however, any one with a basic understanding of small town life
will enjoy it. The comedy is dark and manages to avoid the obvious funeral
director gags, hinging primarily on situational humor with some very
entertaining descriptions and comments from the cast, particularly the
interviewed townspeople.
