It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

You (Weekend at Bernie's (1989)) VS the black comedy involving dead people and a mustachioed titular Bernie that they told you not to worry about.Viewed 17/06/2018

"Bernie" from 2011 is the story of Bernie Tiede, a once beloved resident of Carthage, Texas. Here he is played by Jack Black, who does a fantastic job.Bernie's first job in Carthage was as assistant funeral director of the Hawthorne Funeral Home. He was so good and caring at his job that one person said with Bernie doing your service, you just knew you were going to get to heaven.But Bernie could do so much more, and did. He sang like an angel in church and also appeared in the local musicals. There were rumors that he might be gay, but that didn't put anyone off. Everybody loved him.At the funeral of Roger Nugent, he met Roger's widow (Shirley MacLaine), one of the meanest -- and richest -- women around. No one liked her. She was rude and acted superior to everyone.As Bernie always did after a man's funeral, he would visit the widows. Mrs. Nugent was no exception. Mrs. Nugent took a shine to Bernie and soon, they were inseparable. He did errands for her, he took her to dinner, and he escorted her on trips.But as we said earlier, Mrs. Nugent wasn't easy to get along with, and she became very possessive of Bernie and very demanding of him. Bernie, after all, had other things to do but he incurred her wrath when he did them.One day in 1997, they were out in the garage doing some work. Mrs. Nugent was yammering on as usual. Bernie had a rifle in his hand and shot her four times. After that, Bernie continued living in his small house and became the town benefactor with all kinds of charitable projects, even giving a church $100,000 in Mrs. Nugent's name. First, Mrs. Nugent was sick and couldn't talk; then she was in a nursing home. Nine months passed, and her stockbroker had had enough and broke into her house, searching for anything that would tell him what was going on.Fascinating story about a beloved man who, in the movie anyway, somehow managed to remain beloved despite his crimes. The film is wonderful, with strong performances and good direction by Richard Linklater. It does, however, take some liberties. The film fails to mention that Bernie redid Mrs. Nugent's will, disinheriting her family and leaving everything to him. It is felt that he little by little made sure she was separated from her family as well. Though many people thought the portrayal of Mrs. Nugent in the film was accurate, some disagreed, saying she was a nice woman. Shirley MacLaine does an excellent job in the role.Linklater pops in interviews with real residents of Carthage, who knew Bernie so that it's almost a documentary style.In real life, Bernie was tried twice. Here it's just once, with the District Attorney, well played by Matthew McConaughey. Very good movie, recommended primarily for the performance of Jack Black.

In the east Texas town of Carthage, portly, happy-hearted mortician--sorry, "funeral director"-- Bernhardt Tiede befriends (or, perhaps, worms his way into the life of) the county's wealthiest widow, a friendless harridan with no patience or sense of humor, who takes an unusual shine to Bernie and makes him her traveling companion and financial manager. How this relationship transpires, and the tragedy it leads to, should be the heart of this true story, but director/co-producer/co-screenwriter Richard Linklater doesn't develop it, and the performances suffer as a result. In the lead, Jack Black is necessarily colorful and over-the-top, but he's rarely in character here (particularly in the film's first half). As Bernie's meal ticket, Shirley MacLaine hasn't much to work with; she isn't able to give this impossible woman much shading, mainly because it's not there in the writing. It is delightful watching MacLaine and Black vacation together, soaking up the sun in their bathing suits or taking a dip in a double-sided pool lounger--they're quite a pair--but Linklater's handling is lax in general, while the quasi-interviews with the mouthy townspeople are merely present to bolster the weak narrative. **1/2 from ****

Churchgoer: "Ms. Nugent is in a deep freezer headed for Dallas!" The story is about Bernie Tiede was one of the town's most beloved residents. He taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Everyone loved and appreciated Bernie, so it came as no surprise when he befriended Marjorie Nugent, an affluent widow who was as well known for her sour attitude as her fortune. Bernie frequently traveled with Marjorie and even managed her banking affairs. Marjorie quickly became fully dependent on Bernie and his generosity and Bernie struggled to meet her increasing demands.2011 was the year for Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey and the director Richard Linklater, because this movie was beautifully directed and acted.Bernie is a entertaining dark comedy with a sweet side to it. The main character of this movie (Bernie) well he has be the most interesting and most likable person of the face of earth, even the fact that he killed a mean and despicable old women, I still cared for him and I got to give respect to the writers and the director to care about a killer. Matthew McConaughey had the biggest come back in 2011 with The Lincoln Lawyer, Killer Joe and now this movie which he was brilliant in. McConaughey always has that charm and know it all in every role in see him in today, and that what makes him a brilliant actor.Jack Black gives a heartbreaking and spellbinding performance as the sweet killer. It's good to see Jack Black doing roles were he can poof that he is a great actor and in this movie he shines and gives it his all.The movie does have it's slow parts and some of the short interviews of the town people can be a little bit uninteresting. But overall Bernie is a terrific and fantastic movie with brilliant writing and directing.