Bernie

Description

Based on a true case that the director closely followed, Linklater tells the story of the beloved funeral director Bernie Tiede in the small Texas town of Carthage. Despite his dark profession, which he practices with great passion, Bernie brightens the hearts of those around him with his kindness. When he befriends the wealthy but feared widow Marjorie Nugent, an unusual relationship develops, marked increasingly by dependency, control, and growing tension. What begins as a quirky friendship takes an unexpected turn that shakes the entire town. Linklater stages the mix of black comedy, provincial portrait, and crime drama not least through interviews with both actual and actor-played witnesses. (tb) “My main focus was on the following question: Can the nicest person in the world actually be capable of (a murder)?” says Linklater, who befriended Tiede during research for the film [and let him live with him after his release from prison]. “The answer is yes. So who is to say what someone is capable of in a wrong relationship dynamic?” (Justin Chang, Variety, Jun 2014) Contributors and additional information:
Director: Richard Linklater Screenplay: Richard Linklater, Skip Hollandsworth Author: Skip Hollandsworth Cinematography: Dick Pope Music: Graham Reynolds Editing: Sandra Adair Cast: Jack Black (Bernie Tiede), Shirley MacLaine (Marjorie Nugent), Matthew McConaughey (Danny Buck)