The old adage that "truth is stranger than fiction" is all too accurate in this Richard Linklater film. The director of films like the "Before" trilogy, "Dazed and Confused" and "Boyhood" took to an actual story for this dark comedy about a Texan mortician who kills the elderly widow he befriended. The film follows the investigation into uncovering the motive and drama surrounding the case. Linklater actually takes to using actual residents to outline the backstory in addition to his actors who play the main roles.Jack Black, a normally comedic star, takes on the titular role of Bernie Tiede, the killer in question. Black brings his usual likability to the role and is not a man you would think to be capable of violence. However in the hands of director Linklater and Black, Bernie is depicted as a figure who transitions from a mild mannered every-man who finally snapped when push came to shove and coldly (and many would argue rightly) took the life of a defenseless elderly woman. The lengths to which Bernie goes fit well into Jack Black's ability to juggle a mix of fear of discovery with intelligence that is touched upon, but amateurish. The actor did actually met with the real Bernie Tiede to prepare for the film which is shown at the end credits.In the role of the victim is Oscar nominee Shirley MacLaine who is at her detached best. The actress has to rely on her skill set to portray a woman who was known to be unlikable and possessively cruel which MacLaine taps into without becoming a caricature. She is silent most of the time, using body language to exude a cold, callous demeanor but when MacLaine does speak she uses her razor sharp tongue to spew short words of demeaning or just uncaring emotion. We are never forced to hate her, but are encouraged to sympathize with Bernie's situation with Marjorie as the relationship grows strained until Bernie finally shoots her to death.Rounding out the cast is the almost undeniable ideal casting of a slick Matthew McConaughey as District Attorney Danny Davidson (nicknamed Buck). Given the Texan native has been numerous lawyers in works like "A Time to Kill", "Amistad" and "The Lincoln Lawyer", it's only fitting that the actor now plays a prosecuting attorney and an actual figure at that. Never becoming smarmy or overly self-righteous, McConaughey does bring an air of cockiness to Danny which was well documented by the actual residents in the film and in the investigation of the Tiede case. As one interviewee states, 'the best thing Danny "Buck" Davidson is good at is getting himself elected.' That sentence just about sums up the man himself, but there is no denying that he is/was a good lawyer given that Davidson won the guilty verdict from the jury in the case of Bernie Tiede; a verdict which is still debated about.The film sticks quite closely to the actual facts of the case without embellishing too much fluff into the narrative. Some moments come off as a bit mismatched with the film's tone, the docudrama style of shooting is actually a unique perspective as the story comes from actual men and women while of course sprinkling in the acting performances to move the story along. The true crime flick is a good departure for director Richard Linklater as it mixes dark comedy into a genre of film he hasn't really tackled before or since.

Bernie is filmed in a faux-documentary style that seems to present the small community of Berthage's opinion on Bernie Tiede as realistic and genuine as possible. The talking heads are filmed in their natural environments - residents and cars go on about their daily lives in the background - and some of the segments devolve into petty gossip and slander like an interview might if it had been about a notoriously hated member of the community. In one certain clip one of the 'interviewees' cannot even help herself but laugh at her friend's antics. It seems genuine...a natural born reaction. Yet some of these people are actors. I am reminded of Up in the Air, where Reitman mixed real footage of people being fired and their reactions to it with paid professional actors reading from a script. The intent is all well and good, until JK Simmons pops up on the screen and try as he might, it does not seem anything but artificial. Here Matthew McConaughey fills this role. He has never been shy to disguise or hide his Texan drawl, and here it is in full display both in his public appearances and in front of the camera. And when he makes an impassionate plea to the jury and court, with his precisely chosen words, his moral disgust, his little shake of the head, the "no no no" at the injustice that might be served...there is no doubt in our minds this is a performance. Of course, this is the point; Buck Davidson knows how he must play the case in order to sway even the loyal Carthage crowd, so he acts and acts and intentionally mispronounces "Les Miserables" so that he may get the low-class hicks on his side and, more importantly, laughing at Bernie. But it does begin to leak out of the story itself; it is hard to see anything but Matthew McConaughey after a while. This is not merely an artistic endeavour for Linklater. In 2014, after new evidence emerged of child abuse that may have caused a dissociative episode that lead to Marjorie Nugent's shooting, Bernie Tiede was freed on bail, with a peculiar condition set by the judge that he must live in Linklater's garage apartment. Clearly he knows much of this man, this so-called murderer, that inspired him to make this film as a defense (yes, of Bernie Tiede). I will not ever sit in that courtroom and we may not know the whole and utter truth of the case, but nevertheless it seems that there are whole swathes of the story that remain curiously unexplored in Bernie. The full extent of Bernie's 'abuse', for example, is little more than an old granny shouting herself hoarse, spitting rude put-downs and, shock horror, remotely closing the gates of the estate in order to keep Bernie trapped with him. This does not feel suffocating enough to drive a man to murder. Linklater, however, has devoted much time to establishing the character of Bernie Tiede, to the rest of the narrative's demise. I have no doubt that the opening scene is brilliant; a formal introduction for a man who unequivocally loves his craft, harbours a delightful and darkly humorous approach to it, who simpers his way into the audience's hearts. Jack Black can receive no criticism. He plays Bernie to the full extent of what is asked of him; a rotund, bouncing, eccentric, ever-smiling baby-faced bundle of joy, and ever so carefully treads the line between sincerity and ridiculousness. When he leads the church hymns like a world-class vocalist, when he addresses corpses lovingly, and when he "suggests the Corinthian" (no doubt he picked the name) as if he is recommending a car and not a coffin, it seems bizarre to the viewer, but Black has made us 100% sure of Bernie's sincerity. It makes me wish he did not come with the baggage of his comedic persona, because in small moments it becomes hard to take Bernie seriously. Again it is the problem of the actor shining through the story. Black is by definition charismatic, so he seems perfect for the role, but it feels ungenuine. Linklater has forgone the nuances of characterisation and entire areas of Bernie (the suggestion of homosexuality, for example) to ham up the eccentricities that Black has no doubt graciously provided. See how he waddles in the final shot as he is lead back to his cell. It is a subtle performance, just like it is for McConaughey. Linklater and Black, who spent a great deal of time conversing with the real Bernie Tiede to improve his portrayal, may very well know Bernie intimately and have good reason to believe of his innocence. But all this is hidden under Hollywood artifice.

Director Richard Linklater is known for his small movies and the quirky characters within them, as well as the realistic portraits he captures. In Bernie, Mr. Linklater captures the essence of a small Texas town and the true crime story of the bigger-than-life character loved by all.Mr. Linklater perfectly casts Jack Black (with whom he had done School of Rock) as the community's favorite citizen Bernie, Shirley MacLaine as the rich, bitter widow with whom Bernie becomes entwined, and Michael McConaughy (another Linklater alum, on the cusp of his career makeover) as the district attorney who must prosecute Bernie despite public opinion that Bernie should go free. All three stars give wonderful performances – most of all Mr. Black who restrains himself from his usual attention-grabbing antics and gives a well-controlled performance, including several songs that were quite unexpected.This beautiful character study has its moments of comedy, but it is the finely detailed performances that make it something special.

A mortician strikes up a friendship with a rich controlling businesswoman that doesn't have good consequences. The film is told like a documentary with interviews with people who knew the pair along with flashbacks to stages in their relationship. It's an interesting format and one that works well. The story flows well and holds your attention throughout. This is a good example of a black comedy that really works with a sparkling and very witty script with lots of well observed and funny moments but also some good dark drama. It features a strong cast with Jack Black as a popular mortician.The stand out performance for me was by Matthew McConaughey as the charismatic cop trying to put Black behind bars. Bernie is one of those films that you watch with low expectations but which surprises you with how good it is. It deserves a much higher rating than it's current 6.8 (36,466 votes). Highly recommended.