Review of Bernie (2012) by Do You Even Jay C — 20 Dec 2013

*THE OFFICIAL BETTER THAN JUNO SEAL*.

Richard Linklater maybe my favorite director of all time. He brought us the greatest trilogy of all time (Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight). Here, he proves again why he's great. Featuring one of Jack Black's best performances, Bernie is truly a remarkable true story. I was never bored, even though there weren't explosions, shootouts, or bloody murders. There are some truly remarkable things that Linklater has done. Tanny, you gave Lord of the Rings a 10/10, but gave this a 6? Proof you're a part of the mindless masses.

Jack Black stars as the titular character, Bernie Tiede. Bernie is an assistant funeral director, who is universally loved by everyone in the town of Carthage, Texas. Soon, he meets Mrs. Nugent, a recent widow. Mrs. Nugent is a b**ch to put it kindly. She tortures all the townspeople, and, as stated in the film, "There are people who would shoot her for $5." Anyways, Bernie becomes close with Mrs. Nugent, which leads to the downfall of both people. As crazy as the story gets, it really happened in real life.

The true star of this film is Jack Black. I normally don't like him as I find him and his films extremely unfunny and boring, especially School of Rock. Here, he plays an effeminate, lovable character. It's hard to truly hate Bernie because I felt very sorry for him. His niceness led to his downfall, and it truly was tragic. Matthew McConaughey is also in the film playing defense attorney Danny Buck. McConaughey comes and goes, but whenever he shows up, he's a riot. His jokes often hit, and he is making up for those terrible rom-coms.

The film is told in a documentary style with dramatic sequences. It reminds me of the other documentary, the Imposter, but this film is much more effective. The courtroom scene is probably the best courtroom scene ever. Yes, that includes McConaughey's other film, The Lincoln Lawyer. So, what is it about Bernie that makes me recommend it? Well, it's a well made, expertly directed, and Jack Black's performance is worth watching it alone. Seriously, this guy definitely got snubbed for Best Actor in '12. More proof that the Academy is a joke.

Overall, Bernie is a well made film, and another check to Linklater's already great resume, which has the best trilogy of all time (Fuck Star Wars and LoTR). Jack Black and Matthew McConaughey are really great in this. The script is witty and is very funny. Bernie is a likable character, to which I felt sympathetic towards him. Even though this was a true story, I won't spoil what happened to Bernie and Mrs. Nugent. If you have a Netflix, put this on your must watch list. It is worth your time, and it's short, so no loss.

Fuck you Tanny. I take your opinion with a grain of salt now Mr. I Give the Hobbit an 8/10.