Bernie

In a small Texas town, a genial local mortician named Bernie Tiede wins hearts with his warmth and down to earth humor. He forms an unexpectedly close relationship with Marjorie Nugent, a wealthy widow whose blunt tongue and exacting rules rub people the wrong way. Bernie’s steady kindness and the low key charm of the community orbit around their unlikely bond, turning Bernie into a beloved figure while Marjorie’s grip on her life and finances becomes a source of tension for friends and neighbors. The arrangement fascinates locals and draws curious outsiders, and life in the town takes on a curiously carnival feel as everyone weighs loyalty against propriety. As the situation grows more complicated, the story examines loyalty, rumor, and the uneasy line between generosity and control, all with a deadpan humor.

Richard Linklater directs Bernie, adapted from Skip Hollandsworth's Texas Monthly article about the real life Bernie Tiede. The film features Jack Black as Bernie and Shirley MacLaine as Marjorie Nugent, with Matthew McConaughey delivering a memorable supporting turn for audiences.

The film stands out in how it blends wry humor with a dark moral twist, offering a portrait of a Texas town that treats eccentric friendship as both charm and rumor fodder. Black's restrained performance and Linklater's observational style drew attention from critics, while the ensemble cast anchors the tonal shifts with quiet, lived in detail.

Critics praised the film for its balance of warmth and deadpan irony, and for turning a quirky true life story into a character driven study of memory and judgment. It invites viewers to question how communities define loyalty and integrity when gossip and affection coexist, and to consider how fame or notoriety can shape a town's sense of itself.

Box office worldwide was about 9.2 million on a 5 million budget, reflecting solid performance for an indie comedy drama that leans on character rather than spectacle. The film found an audience through festival exposure and a steady word of mouth during its release.