Regie:
Richard LinklaterCamera:
Dick PopeMuziek:
Graham ReynoldsActeurs:
Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey, Shirley MacLaine, Gary Teague, Larry Jack Dotson, Ben Bachelder, Christian Stokes, Brandon Smith, Juli Erickson (meer)Samenvattingen(1)
In the tiny, rural town of Carthage, TX, assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede was one of the town's most beloved residents. He taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Everyone loved and appreciated Bernie, so it came as no surprise when he befriended Marjorie Nugent, an affluent widow who was as well known for her sour attitude as her fortune. Bernie frequently traveled with Marjorie and even managed her banking affairs. Marjorie quickly became fully dependent on Bernie and his generosity and Bernie struggled to meet her increasing demands. Bernie continued to handle her affairs, and the townspeople went months without seeing Marjorie. The people of Carthage were shocked when it was reported that Marjorie Nugent had been dead for some time, and Bernie Tiede was being charged with the murder. (officiële tekst van distribiteur)
(meer)Recensie (3)
In my opinion, these authors just didn’t know how low they should go to make the weirdest possible movie based on real-life events. At the beginning, I’d been informed that I would be introduced to the real characters at the end. And when I saw them, I really believed that all of that has truly happened. Jack Black played his part perfectly. The whole thing isn’t really that funny, it’s just a ton of weird things going on. And the strangest thing is Bernie himself. All those references to Texans were really funny – but the bastardized English and the triumph of rednecks over humanity? Not so much.
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Of all the offered coffin models, the most expensive for him was the freezer in the garage. I don't think undertaker Bernie Tiede was driven by gerontophilia or calculation; he just wanted to live the high life closer to the Lord. The material is tailor-made for the Coen brothers, but since Texans know the most about Texas, Linklater took it on. Jack Black's numerous musical interludes are offset by the crazy aesthetics of office, diner, and living room decor, and the boldly chosen concept of combining mockumentary and dark comedy brings it to a finale where attitudes go hand in hand with influenced judgment. After all, I judge that Carthage must be destroyed.
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Richard Linklater always manages to get me with the specific form he gives his films. This time it's a fusion of fiction and documentary, where you probably won't even realize the presence of real documentary elements until the end credits arrive. Until then, you might think it's all part of the same game. And it is, but it's more sophisticated than one would think. Oh, and I have to give it up for Jack Black!
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