Bernie (2011 film)

Bernie
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRichard Linklater
Screenplay by
Based onMidnight in the Garden of East Texas
by Skip Hollandsworth
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyDick Pope
Edited bySandra Adair
Music byGraham Reynolds
Production
companies
Distributed byMillennium Entertainment
Release dates
  • June 16, 2011 (2011-06-16) (LAFF[1])
  • April 27, 2012 (2012-04-27) (United States)
Running time
99 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$6 million[3]
Box office$10.1 million[3]

Bernie is a 2011 American biographical black comedy thriller film directed by Richard Linklater, and written by Linklater and Skip Hollandsworth. The film stars Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine and Matthew McConaughey. Filmed entirely in documentary-esque drama and true crime elements, the film is based on Hollandsworth's January 1998 article, "Midnight in the Garden of East Texas", published in Texas Monthly magazine[4] and covering the 1996 murder of 81-year-old millionaire Marjorie Nugent (MacLaine) in Carthage, Texas, by her 39-year-old companion,[5] Bernhardt "Bernie" Tiede (Black).

The film received critical acclaim for its direction, accuracy in relation to the facts, "Town Gossips" mockumentary format, and particular praise for Jack Black's performance.[6][7][8] The film led to a renewed public interest in the case, which briefly led to Tiede’s release from prison before he was ultimately resentenced.[9][10]

  1. ^ Zeitchik, Steven (June 16, 2011). "Los Angeles Film Festival: Richard Linklater stays provocative and independent with 'Bernie'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 1, 2011.
  2. ^ "Bernie (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. March 22, 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  3. ^ a b "'Bernie' (2012)". The Numbers. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  4. ^ Hollandsworth, Skip (January 1998). "Midnight in the Garden of East Texas". Texas Monthly. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  5. ^ Associated Press with Sonny Bohanan (October 26, 1998). "Trial begins for man accused in death". Amarillo Globe-News. Archived from the original on September 19, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
  6. ^ Cater, Eleanor Ringel (May 31, 2012). "'Bernie' — Jack Black gives best performance of his career". Saporta Report. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  7. ^ Queenan, Joe (July 26, 2012). "If Jack Black can make an excellent movie, surely anything is possible". The Guardian. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  8. ^ Feinberg, Scott (October 13, 2012). "'Bernie' Star Jack Black Says He's a 'Clown' Who Also Wants to Be Taken Seriously". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  9. ^ "Ex-Mortician Whose Killing of Widow Inspired Movie Freed Early". NBC News. Associated Press. May 6, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  10. ^ Grissom, Brandi. "East Texas widow killer Bernie Tiede, subject of hit movie, gets 99 years to life in re-trial". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on May 28, 2016.