Bernie
Directed by Richard Linklater
- comedy
- crime
- drama
The story
In small-town Texas, affable and popular mortician Bernie Tiede strikes up a friendship with Marjorie Nugent, a wealthy widow well known for her sour attitude. When she becomes controlling and abusive, Bernie goes to great lengths to remove himself from her grasp.
What it’s like
Sun-bleached small-town streets and warm, flat daylight, shot like a documentary: static medium frames of porches, pickup trucks, and a funeral home's tidy parlour, interrupted by straight-to-camera interviews with townsfolk who gossip with fond deadpan. Pale yellows, dusty greens, and the soft amber of indoor lamps give it a homey, unhurried look, while the score is light acoustic plucking and bright country twang that keeps the mood easy. The vibe is wry, warm, and quietly absurd, best for a lazy afternoon or a late-night laugh with company. Pacing is brisk and conversational, and its emotional arc follows a gentle, well-liked man who drifts into a lopsided friendship and then slowly, almost cheerfully, rationalises his way out of it. Violence is rare and brief: one sudden, non-graphic act and a few offscreen consequences, with no gore and little menace. Suits people who enjoy dry, character-driven dark comedy with real-life oddness and a light, unsettled touch.
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