Bernie
2011 · Movie · PG-13 · 99 min · ★ 6.6 · 82% critics
In small-town Texas, a friendly mortician forms an unlikely bond with a wealthy widow whose behavior turns controlling and abusive. As their relationship strains, he goes to extreme lengths to get free from her influence, with the town watching along.
Based on Texas Monthly
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Details
- Years
- 2011
- Release date
- 2012-04-27
- Language
- English
- Rated
- PG-13
- Runtime
- 99 min
- Max quality
- HD
- Critic score
- 82/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.6/10 (1,036 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy Bernie if you like dark comedy based on true events and a mockumentary-style look at a strange community tale; Not for you if you want a straightforward, lighthearted laugh-fest like Hit Man or a more purely homey drama like Win Win.
Pros: darkly funny tone; strong Jack Black performance; unsettling true-story pull | Cons: comedy label feels misleading; uneven pacing; harsh subject matter
Themes
- texas
- dark comedy
- based on true story
- carthage
- stockbroker
- prison visit
- missing person
- funeral director
- funeral home
- embezzlement
- hidden corpse
- estranged family member
- +6 more
Awards & recognition
- National Society of Film Critics Award — Best Supporting Actor · 2012
- New York Film Critics Circle Award — Best Supporting Actor · 2012
- Independent Spirit Award — Best Film · 2013 · nominated
- Independent Spirit Award — Best Male Lead · 2013 · nominated
- Broadcast Film Critics Association Award — Best Comedy Film · 2012 · nominated
Show all 6 awards →
- Golden Globe Award — Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy · 2012 · nominated
Cast & crew
Jack Black
as Bernie Tiede
Shirley MacLaine
as Marjorie Nugent
Matthew McConaughey
as Danny Buck Davidson
Brady Coleman
as Scrappy Holmes
Richard Robichaux
as Lloyd Hornbuckle
Rick Dial
as Don Leggett
Brandon Smith
as Sheriff Huckabee
Larry Jack Dotson
as Rev. Woodard
Merrilee McCommas
as Molly
- MG
Mathew Greer
as Carl
Directed by Richard Linklater