Movie #116- "Bernie" (2011)

While I like the manic energy Jack Black possesses, especially with Tenacious D, I have a tendency to tire of him in his film roles.  He's had a few occasions where his style has worked to his advantage, but when the project relies too much on Black's energy, the film seemingly suffers.  Robin Williams had a similar issue early in his career when his frantic, ad-lib ability was used to try to connect the dots in a plot.
Black takes a different step, outside his comfort zone, in "Bernie".  I never thought I'd use the word understated when describing Jack Black and yet that fits perfectly here.  "Bernie" is based on the true story of Texas mortician, the title character, who befriends an older woman, then kills her and attempts to hide the crime.  The story may sound macabre with a bit of "Weekend at Bernie's", but it trends more toward a sweet nature.
Bernie is not shown as a deranged killer.  He is a man of the community, helping however he can with the local townspeople in a variety of situations.  Bernie is well regarded in his small Texas town, although some questions do occur when he starts "dating" Shirley MacLaine's Marjorie (there are also questions about his sexuality).  He has such a likeable personality, that even after the murder, most of the community sides with Bernie.
Overall, "Bernie" is a charming film that pokes fun at small town gossip, where everyone knows everybody's business.  Black had the chance to visit with the real Bernie and several residents that knew both Bernie and Marjorie appear in the film.  Matthew McConaughey uses his southern drawl and laid back demeanor as one of the few to be unsympathetic to Bernie.
Black is quite a revelation in "Bernie" and hopefully he's got a few more surprises up his sleeve.  I found myself enjoying this film more than I expected.

Rating: 8/10
Movies I've previously seen: 6
First time viewings: 110