Bernie (Richard Linklater)

[EyesWideOpen]

imdb page

[Kiusagi]

Jack Black is, to me, one of the most hit-or-miss actors out there. I enjoyed his overly enthusiastic delivery in movies like High Fidelity and School of Rock and his turn in King Kong wasn't too shabby either. But I found him just grating in films like Tropic Thunder and Year One. He's excellent here and while I enjoyed listening to the real-life townspeople speak of their recollections, I wanted less of that and more of Black.

I can't call myself a fan, but I think Linklater is a pretty interesting director. I might argue he's underrated. He's one of the most diverse working today that I can think of and while they don't always work, there's usually at least some reason to check his films out.

[Pop Trash]

I can't call myself a fan, but I think Linklater is a pretty interesting director. I might argue he's underrated. He's one of the most diverse working today that I can think of and while they don't always work, there's usually at least some reason to check his films out.

I think so too. I haven't seen this one (might check it out on DVD) but I don't think I've seen a Linklater film I didn't like. Even the maligned (by some) Fast Food Nation I thought was an interesting Traffic/Altman style piece.

[eternity]

This might be my favorite Linklater film. I'd probably need to see it again to be sure, but it's really a step up for him from some of his recent work. It's simultaneously a hilarious character study and a pseudo-documentary about what amounts to a provocative moral gray area.

[transmogrifier]

51/100

Disappointing. The townsfolk are worth the sit, I guess, painting a picture of small town groupthink-slash-comradery, a parade of interesting faces glad to be in the spotlight sharing some sordid gossip. But the re-enactments (I guess that's what they are) lack any sort of rhythm or feel for Bernie and his relationship with the town and the old widow, coming across as a series of random hearsay anecdotes. It's not particularly funny, nor moving, nor dramatic, nor charming - it's sort of just there.

[number8]

I watched this back to back with Magic Mike. It was a McConaughey night.

[Ezee E]

I didn't even realize Linklater directed this. Perhaps I'll check it out now.

[Pop Trash]

I really liked this. It reminded me of a non-documentary Errol Morris film.

[Boner M]

An intriguing film - the interview tactic reminded me of Jia Zhang-Ke's 24 City, creating a documentary veneer with its succession of the interviews before rupturing that fabric when Matthew McConaughey shows up (ala Joan Chen in the Jia film). It's admirable that Linklater adopts a surprisingly modernist tactic, but none of the film really gels, despite Black's excellent work - trans' 'just sits there' criticism rings true. It replays well in the mind, though... so I'll give Linklater the benefit of a doubt and let it ferment.

[dreamdead]

I think I wanted interviews woven through the trial sequence. The film becomes more rote and one-dimensional in that third act as it shifts into conventional trial speeches. Trans is right that it's all kinda just there and without any real narrative thrust or payoff; it's almost brilliantly inert, but it never goes far enough to work. Instead, the thing I found most fascinating was the dialogue-free end credits where Jack Black talks with the real Bernie. That would have been quite interesting to hear about...

The mildest of yays.

[Stay Puft]

Yeah, I'll echo all the mild yays in this thread. Interesting film (love Boner's comparison to 24 City, which is incredibly apt; hadn't even occurred to me at the time), and I did find it a bit more humorous than others perhaps ("I shot her in the back... with the armadillo rifle" made me howl with laughter, and I don't even know why), but yeah, it ultimately feels slack, the doc stuff and the narrative stuff not always coalescing effectively.

Also, like 24 City, it looks like everybody in the film were actors. I noticed some names in the credits that, unless I'm mistaken, don't match the names given during the interviews. I'm not sure if anybody in the film was an actual interview subject.

[DavidSeven]

Credit Linklater for seamlessly blending Hollywood performances and small-town impressions into a successful narrative whole. I wouldn't have been able to tell you who the all actual townspeople were. It's a morally intriguing piece, perhaps even a little troubling upon refelction. There's an interesting juxtaposition when you consider this with how easy the film is to watch and how smoothly the story goes down. I'm impressed that they pulled it off. Black has never been better.

[Lucky]

Like an adaptation of In Cold Blood with a robust sense of humor. Jack Black is a fine anchor here, glad Match-Cut acknowledged him with a nomination.

[number8]

Holy crap. The real Bernie has been released from prison and is now going to live with Linklater.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/p...ard-linklater/

[Dukefrukem]

WTF? What's his real motivation here? A 2nd movie?

[number8]

I think he's just being nice.

[baby doll]

I think what's really crazy is that someone with no previous criminal record got a life sentence in the first place.

[Peng]

Watched this back in November when I was going through Linklater chronologically. This one ultimately feels a bit slight in the end, which I'm still not sure counts as a compliment (keeping a film in the dreaded "true story" genre light and focusing on the unique and droll portrait of the town's spirit) or a complaint (there's a moral dilemma going on here that should have registered stronger). Jack Black is completely wonderful though. 7.5/10