2011 American film
Bernie is a 2011 American biographical black comedy thriller film directed by Richard Linklater, and written by Linklater and Skip Hollandsworth. The film stars Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine and Matthew McConaughey. Filmed entirely in documentary-esque drama and true crime elements, the film is based on Hollandsworth's January 1998 article, "Midnight in the Garden of East Texas", published in Texas Monthly magazine and covering the 1996 murder of 81-year-old millionaire Marjorie Nugent (MacLaine) in Carthage, Texas, by her 39-year-old companion, Bernhardt "Bernie" Tiede (Black).
The film received critical acclaim for its direction, accuracy in relation to the facts, "Town Gossips" mockumentary format, and particular praise for Jack Black's performance. The film led to a renewed public interest in the case, which briefly led to Tiede’s release from prison before he was ultimately resentenced.
Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.