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Bernie (Short Review)

Bernie (2011), which is now in theaters, is hard to characterize. Is it a dark comedy, a dramatic take on a true-life crime, a southern set piece, a documentary, a mockumentary, or something else? Maybe it is a little of each.

In the film, Jack Black plays Bernie Tiede, an odd mortician who is beloved by many in the community of Carthage, Texas for his kindness to the bereaved and his respect for the recently departed. Eventually, he becomes close to an elderly millionaire widow played by Shirley MacLaine. When the widow is murdered, none of the local townspeople can believe when Bernie is accused of the murder.

The movie is based on a real-life story that appeared in Texas Monthly magazine. The film features interviews with real townspeople (mixed in with some interviews with actors playing people of the town). Some viewers may find the generous use of such interviews distracting, but Director Richard Linklater sees much of the story in the way that the townspeople reacted to Bernie. Linklater, who is from East Texas himself, has said that he tried to be respectful of the citizens of the town, noting that he sees something human in their desire to see Bernie acquitted simply because they liked him.

The movie is an odd gem, and it is not for everyone. What made the movie for me was the understated acting by actors who usually go over-the-top in other roles. Jack Black gives a subdued performance where you almost expect him to break character, much like watching Will Ferrell before he loses control. While I wish the film went a little deeper into Bernie’s character and his past, Black gives a three-dimensional performance of a character that could have easily drifted into a one-line joke. Similarly, Matthew McConaughey gives one of his most understated performances too, and Shirley MacLaine shows again how she can portray more emotion with her eyes and a few words than most actors can in a talky leading role.

If you see the film, make sure to stick around for the credits. You get to see the real Bernie along with some additional interviews. If you are interested in more information about the true story, check out this video (warning: If you have not seen the film, there are spoilers.)

Conclusion? Bernie is not for everyone, but a lot of people will be pleasantly surprised by the unusual little movie. If you are looking for something quirky and entertaining, even if it is not too deep and does not have many plot surprises, you should check out Bernie in theaters, or maybe just wait for it to come out on DVD.

Bonus Music Information: If while watching the movie you recognize the music playing in the background — during the murder and near the end of the film — and wonder what it is, you might know it from Bach. Or you might know it from Paul Simon. The music is the hymn “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded,” which ended up in the music of Paul Simon’s “American Tune.” Perhaps Linklater chose the tune in an attempt to subconsciously connect the story’s tragic elements to something unique about America. Check out our post on the history of the song.

Bonus Reviews Because Why Should You Believe Me? Bernie has a very respectable Rotten Tomatoes rating of 89% from critics and 87% from viewers. Jonathan Rossenbaum calls the movie a “masterpiece.” Tom Long of The Detroit News is a little more low key, calling the film “a pleasant little movie.” Saportareport says the film is the best of Jack Black’s career so far. The real Bernie Tiede seems satisfied with the movie, or at least with the fact that he got to meet Jack Black.

What did you think of Bernie? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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World Series Songs: That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas)

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World Series Songs: That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas)

Several years ago, a friend from Iowa and I discussed songs about various states. He proudly noted that Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page” was about his home state of Iowa. “How?” I asked. He noted the opening lyrics are “On a long and lonesome highway east of Omaha.” Then he explained, “The only thing east of Omaha, Nebraska is Iowa.”

While it is difficult to find songs about some states, like Iowa, other more populous states with a history of a thriving music industry like Texas provide a long list of state songs, including old classics like “Yellow Rose of Texas” and “The Eyes of Texas.” So for this entry on World Series Songs for the Texas Rangers, we have to choose from a number of songs, and that is not even including the reference to the Rangers in the opening line of Bruce Springsteen’s “Jungleland” (The Rangers had a homecoming/ in Harlem late last night.” But it is a great opportunity to finally get around to Lyle Lovett, featuring his song, “That’s Right (You’re Not from Texas).”

Some people may mainly know Lovett for his hair or his short marriage to Julia Roberts, but he has several wonderful albums. His songs often show a sense of humor, but he has many beautiful heart-felt songs too, like “Road to Ensenada,” which is off the album of the same name that also includes “That’s Right (You’re Not from Texas).”

“That’s Right” showcases Lovett’s humor and his love of his home state, reflecting the pride that many Texans feel about their state. In the song, the singer repeats the refrain “That’s right you’re not from Texas” in several situations. After his girlfriend asks what is so great about Texas, he tells us, “Oh the road it looked so lovely / As she stood there on the side / And she grew smaller in my mirror.”

The Rangers should be proud they are the champions of the American League and playing in the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Texas has its own history and large size (but not the largest) that make many residents proud, although there are some things of which some Texans may not be so proud.

Pride is both a good thing and a bad thing. While we are told from a young age that we should be proud of this or that, we are also reminded that pride is a sin. As Proverbs 16:18 warns, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” I have loved my time in the beautiful Lone Star State, but Lovett does an excellent job in capturing both the grandeur and the ridiculousness in such pride. How can it be so bad if “Texas wants you anyway?”

One thing we can be sure of, though, is that if the Texas Rangers win the World Series, there will be a lot of Texas pride to go around. Fans may even sing Lovett’s song to their St. Louis, Missouri opponents:

They’re OK in Oklahoma;
Up in Arkansas they’re fair;
But those old folks in Missouri,
They don’t even know you’re there;
But at a dance hall down in Texas,
That’s the finest place to be.

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10 Reasons Hope Floats is a Guilty Pleasure

Hope Floats (1998) is not one of the greatest movies of all time, but it is one of those movies that I find myself watching whenever it pops up on TV. While the critics’ evaluation of the movie puts it at a low 25% “liked it” on the Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, the audience puts it at a respectable 73% “liked it.” Why are regular audience members right on this movie and the critics so wrong? Here are ten reasons.

1. Forest Whitaker directs the movie, and does an excellent job. The well-known actor may have been an unusual choice to direct this movie, but he captures the atmosphere of a small town in Texas, perhaps because he was born in Texas. There are excellent shots throughout the movie, and as someone who has spent some time in the Lone Star State, I think he does a great job capturing some of the beauty of the area. He should direct more often.

2. Sandra Bullock gives one of her best performances as Birdee Pruitt. Bullock fits comfortably in the role of a likeable former small-town girl who was a cheerleader and “Queen of Corn.” She explains how the story attracted her to take the role in this video interview.

3. The movie includes a musical performance by Jack Ingram, who is playing at a dance scene. Ingram started out playing country music in Texas bars in the early 1990s. A friend introduced me to Ingram in the late 1990s when Ingram released some excellent CDs. Live at Adair’s (1996) is a great live album. More recently, Ingram got a trendy haircut and had more commercial success with songs like “Love You.” The Academy of Country Music gave him a top “new” male artist award in 2008, about a decade too late. But it is great he’s still making good music.

4. Speaking of musicians, Harry Connick, Jr. shows off his acting chops as Justin Matisse in Hope Floats. Connick has a lot of personality and it comes through in his performance here. Sure, he is not playing Hamlet or another great part, but he fits the role like a comfortable glove and is believable.

5. The rest of the cast is engaging too. The movie has Gena Rolands, who has been acting since the late 1950s and has an impressive resume of outstanding roles. She’s great here as Bullock’s mother. And Mae Whitman is able to make us laugh while at other times conveying the pain of a child with parents going through a divorce.

6. The movie has a number of elements that make it hard to classify. There are some laughs, but it is not a light-hearted romantic comedy. It is a Hollywood movie and it is not gritty, but there are several genuine moments in the movie about small-town life, death, divorce, and home.

7. The film has an excellent scene at the employment office when a former classmate gives Birdee (Bullock) her comeuppance for her popularity in high school. Neither person is played as a stereotype, and viewers find themselves sympathetic to both characters.

8. Two touching dance scenes illustrate romance, childhood, aging, and starting again: Birdie dances with her father, who has had a stroke and is in a nursing home, and she dances with Justin at the bar.

9. “Beginnings are scary. Endings are usually sad. But it’s the middle that counts the most.”

10. The soundtrack works, and the movie includes “Make You Feel My Love.” The song, sung here by Garth Brooks, is one of Bob Dylan’s later career classic songs, as we discussed recently on Chimesfreedom. In the case of both the song and the movie, the fans are right and the critics are wrong.