Bernie (2011)

I always enjoy a movie that surprises me...pleasantly.

The mockumentary, Bernie, was a surprisingly enjoyable movie. I wasn't sure what to expect going in, but it was both interesting and entertaining. Certainly we all know Jack Black's usual zany hijinks, but he was absolutely perfect in this role with more homosexuality and less zane. The whole thing is based on the true story of Bernie Tiede, a popular and obviously homosexual mortician, who befriends a wealthy, bitchy widow who he ends up murdering after tiring of her bullshit. He goes on trial, but he's so beloved by the townspeople that they push for his release...even though he's guilty as hell.

The cast is small but fantastic. Jack Black is great in the lead - sympathetic with a hint of sleaze. Then you have Shirley MacLaine coming out of retirement to play the bitchiest bitch of all film bitches. I wanted to kill that bitch way before Bernie finally pulled the trigger. Then you've got the always excellent Matthew McConaughey playing a southern lawyer...he's hilarious. The best part of this movie, though, is that members of the actual town where Bernie lived have talking head roles in the movie. Oh, and Matthew McConaughey's mom is in the movie, too. How do you beat that?

The movie is basically a documentary with reenactments of the larger events of the drama being performed by the actual actors. The movie is an exploration of morality and how perhaps one immoral act shouldn't tarnish a person's lifetime of kindness. Of course, the law is more than happy to judge a person based on a single act which is probably why Bernie is serving a life sentence instead of gaying it up all over Texas.

In conclusion, this is one of those movies that a cinephile has to watch every once in a while. In the midst of all the blockbusters and CGI liquid dumps, every now and then you simply need to watch a movie that is subtle and tells a human tale to remind you what it's like to be a human being on planet Earth. That's Bernie.

Why It's Surprisingly Awesome:

Jack Black is in a movie that isn't stupidly funny. That's pretty awesome right there.

Best Quote:

Crazy Church Lady: I know the Bible says Jesus turned water into wine, but it didn't say liquor store wine. It had to have been non-alcoholic wine, because it didn't have time to ferment.