Bernie
Seen it?2012 | 99 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (88% on Rotten Tomatoes). A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans and anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved My Cousin Vinny or Arsenic and Old Lace, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Darkly funny.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 39 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG-13. Probably too much for younger kids.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
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.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
88% on Rotten Tomatoes, 75 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.6 out of 10
- AwardsSolid
Nominated for 1 Golden Globe and 2 Independent Spirit Awards.
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$10 million worldwide on a $5 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 201K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Richard Linklater
- Jack BlackBernie Tiede
- Shirley MacLaineMarjorie Nugent
- Matthew McConaugheyDanny Buck Davidson
- Brady ColemanScrappy Holmes
- Richard RobichauxLloyd Hornbuckle
- Rick DialDon Leggett
- Brandon SmithSheriff Huckabee
- Larry Jack DotsonRev. Woodard
- Merrilee McCommasMolly
- Mathew GreerCarl