Bernie enjoys a sweet reputation; he bakes cookies, helps in selecting a casket, offers a hug when appropriate, and sings gospel at the funeral. In short, a mortician like no other. Right after Bernie’s arrival in a small Texas town, all the widows take a strong liking to him, inviting him to tea, and transferring the fortunes of their dearly departed. If he were a film character, Bernie would probably exploit that.
But he’s not, at least not exactly. Linklater based this eccentric comedy on the true story of a man currently doing time in a Texas prison. Despite a despicable crime, all the locals rallied to his defense. Why? What is Bernie’s discreet charm all about?
Richard Linklater is a director and screenwriter born in 1960 in Texas known for his films about young slackers (Dazed and Confused, SubUrbia), experimental forms (animation in Scanner Darkly, camera moves in Slacker,and the closed space in Tape), or dialogue-based films like the diptych Before Sunrise / Before Sunset or Waking Life). He has been a vegetarian since 1983.
1991 Slacker
1993 Dazed and Confused / Uczniowska balanga
2001 Waking Life / Jawa czy sen
2001 Tape / Taśma
2006 Fast Food Nation
2011 Bernie