Bernie

“You don't want to turn grief tragically into comedy,” warns funeral director Bernie Tiede (Jack Black) in filmmaker Richard Linklater's weirdly wacky film, which is inspired by an East Texas true-crime story. But that's exactly what happens when Bernie bumps off his best friend/benefactor, Marjorie (Shirley MacLaine), in this affectionately endearing black comedy. In the tiny, rural town of Carthage, circa 1989, no one was more beloved than mild-mannered Bernie when he met wealthy, recently widowed Marjorie Nugent, whom everyone, including her estranged family, agreed was a miserable, mean, hateful bitch. Eventually, genial Bernie, a devout Christian, won her trust, becoming her constant companion and traveling around the world as her personal assistant/business manager. Because he was a fey, fastidious bachelor in his 30s, some speculated that Bernie was gay, but no one really knew—or cared, since Bernie was kind and generous to a fault, sharing everything with everyone whose path he crossed. According to Bernie, Marjorie eventually became so demanding and possessive that he snapped, impulsively shooting her and then stashing her body in the freezer—a crime that went undetected for nine months, until Marjorie's stockbroker became suspicious and alerted her relatives. Matthew McConaughey costars as District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson, who is forced to move Bernie's trial to St. Augustine since locals don't believe he's guilty. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include “The Gossips” on casting non-actors (13 min.), deleted scenes (11 min.), a “True Story to Film” featurette on the real-life case (10 min.), an “Amazing Grace” segment on star Jack Black (7 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a winning black comedy.] (S. Granger)