In small-town Texas, affable and popular mortician Bernie Tiede strikes up a friendship with Marjorie Nugent, a wealthy widow well known for her sour attitude. When she becomes controlling and abusive, Bernie goes to great lengths to remove himself from her grasp.
Acting
Jack Black's most disciplined performance—restrained until it spectacularly isn't.
Direction
Linklater blends fiction with real Carthage residents testifying.
Writing
Script co-written with the journalist who broke the actual story.
Director
Richard Linklater
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Most of the gossiping townspeople are actual Carthage residents playing themselves; the real Bernie Tiede was released on bond in 2014 after this film's success, then re-imprisoned in 2016.
The film sparked actual legal consequences—Bernie's real prosecutor complained the movie prejudiced potential jurors, while defense attorneys used it to argue for a new trial.
US
