Bernie (2012)

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“The nice part about living in a small town is that when you don't know what you're doing, someone else does.”
- Anonymous

Saratoga Springs, New York (where I live) is a kind of middling town that tries to mix small town America with big city living. Recently, they've begun building big brick high end condominium structures, in an attempt to revitalize a part of downtown that isn't in great shape. During track season in the summer, you would think this place is a major city, based on how many people crowd the streets. But in the end, it's still just a quaint little village with a pretty main street that survives through horse racing and gambling.
Richard Linklater's black comedy Bernie tells the story of a small town in north Texas called Carthage. Bernie Tiede (Jack Black) arrives in this town of only 7,000 people and becomes the assistant undertaker at the local funeral home. While Bernie is tremendously skilled at the scientific, technical work of his profession, his real spark comes from comforting those whose loved ones have passed on, which typically meant a lot of older women. One local widow, Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine), is easily Bernie's toughest nut to crack, an angry old woman who doesn't care for people and has no problems making them suffer after she gets control of her dead husband's bank. But Bernie continues to reach out to her, eventually becoming her day-to-day companion, traveling with her, and turning her into a delightful person to know. Eventually, she becomes possessive of him, treating him like a servant, until one day Bernie - the friendliest, sweetest man in all of Carthage - gives Marjorie what's coming to her with four bullets in the back.

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Linklater has one of the more interesting career track records, shifting from independent comedy (Slacker) to stoner nostalgia (Dazed and Confused) to romantic character studies (Before Sunset/Before Sunrise) to completely commercial uplifting comedies (School of Rock). While Bernie is a different type of movie for Linklater, he certainly embedded his style into the film. The film is based on an article in Texas Monthly by Skip Hollandsworth (who also co-wrote the screenplay) about the incident - a true story taking place in rural Texas. In an effort to add a bit of realism to the story, Linklater constructs the film like a documentary, told in flashbacks cut between interviews with "townsfolk." Obviously, all of these interviewee's are actors, but the approach adds a comic touch that lets the audience understand what Carthage is, as well as building up Bernie as a genuine character only expanded by Jack Black's wonderful performance.
Jack Black has meandered around in some bad films, typically raunchy comedies. He's always been a skilled physical comedian, but has never been a subtle performer, taking a page out of the Chris Farley handbook of screaming and flopping his way to box office success. But in Bernie, Black has a level of control unlike anything I've seen from him.This is still a comedic performance, but in the darkest sense of the word. It's not hilarious, as much as it is quirky and baffling. Black delivers a performance that hits a number of notes - he's a kind, unsuspecting person; he's a religious man - he made sure his funeral parlor added more crosses, he sings every Sunday in church, and even does solos and eulogizes at funerals he manages. Bernie is such a kindhearted person that his major transgression isn't just a surprise to the townspeople, but is wholly unbelievable, even after a full confession. It's not just a sin that his neighbors feel should go unpunished - it's hardly a sin at all.

Playing the foil to Black's unreasonably sweet performance is Matthew McConaughey as lawyer and prosecutor Danny Buck, who can't seem to wrap his mind around Carthage and the small town personality that enlivens the area. McConaughey has had such a great year - Magic Mike, Killer Joe, and Bernie have given him one of the best resumes of 2012. But it wasn't like he just landed bit parts; he is revelation this year - this shirtless Texan really can act. McConaughey's Buck is so confounded that he requests the trial to be moved to another area, for fear that the jury would be compromised. After all, when one of the most beloved citizens gets rid of one of the most hated ones, justice may not be served so well, in the eyes of the state.

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It's not a spoiler so much - you can read about this real life case anywhere - that Bernie kills Marjorie. The real impact of the film is made with the way Linklater reveals everything through his documentary style and the way the townspeople tell the story for him. The murder happens about 2/3 of the way through the film and, though it is never expressly said, you assume that something goes wrong eventually. But, the way the townspeople speak about Bernie, Marjorie, and even Buck makes you think that this murder was nothing more than a speed bump in this town's history. They don't just feel like turning the other cheek on Bernie's crime - they are nauseated by anyone who tries to pin any kind of punishment on this wonderful man, specifically Buck.

At the heart of the film (and of Bernie) is a dedication to, but constant battle with, faith and grace. Bernie understands he does wrong and immediately repents, maintaining that God's forgiveness is far more important to seek than hiding his crime. While he does avoid police involvement for a long time, you never for a second feel like he's a hardened criminal who is trying to skirt the law. He's a man who made a big mistake and wants to make it right, but is so overwhelmed with his own guilt, his community responsibilities, and his mission to earn forgiveness in God's eyes that he just never bothers to clean up his mess. There is never doubt that Bernie sees his place in the world as one of God's servants (Linklater makes this clear by inter-cutting Black's church hymn performances throughout the film), and, first and foremost in his mind, Carthage and its citizens deserve some help and Marjorie deserves a proper burial...in whatever order.

It's a rare feat for a director and performer to create a character who, though he is a confessed murderer, you find yourself admiring. When someone does so much good for the community, is it really that bad if he shot someone?

SHOULD YOU SEE IT: Encouraged