Movies With Butter

The funny thing about Bernie is that there should be nothing funny about murder; yet, the real circumstances surrounding Bernie, a movie based on a true homicide story, is comedic fun because it’s hard to believe the premise is actually a real life story. The one-sidedness of the story and how some people in one town, the town of Carthage, rallied support for a man who committed murder add to the humor. The trailer shows how funny it can be when emotion gets in the way of moral judgments.

I’m watching the trailer in disbelief that people are supporting the murderer more so than the victim. It’s an entertaining enigma, especially knowing that this really happened and many townspeople supported Bernie and some did not believe Bernie could commit such a crime. Ha! Even I had doubts that Bernie could commit such a crime after watching the trailer.

I’m torn between supporting the nice guy or the old, mean cranky lady. Nothing in the trailer showed the money loving side of Bernie, or that he was a gold-digger. And, the townspeople didn’t talk about Bernie spending her money; in fact, they say “Bernie took her everywhere… Europe, Russia, Paris and other places,” as if Bernie was the one who was doing all the work.

They mentioned how supportive he was and demonstrated that using mundane and small tasks, like doing her laundry, tweezing her chin, and taking her places. “He was her servant… she was demanding, condescending, and conniving… a woman like that with a bad heart; he should’ve shoved a pillow right over her face.” It’s funny that the only evidence of her being a mean person to anyone else other than Bernie is an elderly lady saying she used to rip off her dolls heads.

Although it wasn’t evident why the town hated her and loved him so much, it’s funny that they do hate her enough to have her dead regardless of how she died. I’d watch it just for the sarcastic humor and for the “what the heck is going on here?!” reaction.

Bernie is scheduled to open on April 27, 2012. It stars Jack Black as the not as convincing but funny Southerner, Bernie. Shirley MacLaine has the countenance to play a convincing mean old lady, and Matthew McConaughey does a great job detailing Bernie’s insincerity with an excellent Southern drawl.

Bernie Trailer: