BERNIE

A delightful dark comedy based on a true crime that happened in Carthage, Texas. the acting is great. Bernie is played by Jack Black (this is the first film i've seen him in where he doesn't over-play his role). Bernie is a maybe gay child-man who is the assistant undertaker and is loved by the entire town of about 6,000. He's involved in every community activity and directs plays and fundraisers and remembers all the family names of everyone and is particularly attentive to all the little old ladies.

The movie is filmed like a documentary so there are a lot of on-screen short interviews about how wonderful and generous and well-liked Bernie is. Some of the comments are from the 'real' townspeople who knew Bernie. One of the widows he starts befriending is mean, evil, caustic and very unfriendly Mrs. Nugent played by Shirley MacLaine.

Over the course of many months, Bernie draws her out and humanizes her and they start doing things together; plays and trips to other countries and boating and concerts. All of this is paid for with her money. Well, over time Mrs. Nugent becomes very possessive and wants Bernie all to herself. She doesn't want him helping the other town residents or working full time at the funeral home. and she fires all her other employees (accountants, cook, driver, etc.) because she wants Bernie to do it all.

Well, as magnanimous as he is, Bernie finally has enough and snaps one night and shoots her in the back. He puts the body in the freezer and tells the town that she's had a stroke. For about 9 months, he keeps up this charade while continuing to spend her money quite freely. Eventually he is caught and brought to trial by prosecutor Danny Buck (Matthew McConaughey). This is one of McConaughey's best roles. he just shines as a small town lawyer who thinks he's a big city powerful attorney.

The town doesn't want Bernie convicted because they can't believe he shot her even though he confessed "bernie is too kind to ever do a thing like that". and if some people think he just might have done it, well, then Mrs. Nugent deserved it because she was so mean. The trial results in a guilty of first degree murder sentence and Bernie is sent to prison for life.

The movie ends with pictures of the real people and we are informed that everyone in town still loves Bernie and a lot of them don't believe he should be in prison.

I gave it an 8 because there was too much singing by Jack Black and there should have been more movie time devoted to Mrs. Nugent's increasingly possessive take-over of Bernie's life. However, it was still a highly entertaining film and fun to watch.