GREAT READS

Bernie

I saw a trailer for this movie at the theater a few months back and thought, "I might check that out when it hits DVD" as it looked like one of those movies you want to see but not necessarily want to pay money for. Am I ever glad I did! Bernie is a comedic pseudo-documentary based on the true story of Bernie Tiede and Marjorie Nugent. Bernie, played by Jack Black, is a lovable, friendly, assistant funeral director who is highly respected in the small town of Carthage, TX. When the resident curmudgeon's (Shirley MacLaine) husband dies, Bernie makes a point of befriending her because he can't stand the thought of her being all alone. As their friendship grows, so do the demands that Marjorie places on Bernie to the point of making him crack and commit an irreversible act. I don't want to give away too much of the movie, but it gives an interesting peek into small town values and justice while using commentary from actual townspeople. Matthew McConnaughey gives a great performance as Danny Buck, the self-important District Attorney of the town. I highly recommend this movie, so much so that I actually bought it, and hope you'll give it a chance.

Recommended by LaTanya West