Synopsis

In the quaint town of Carthage, Texas, Bernie Tiede, the beloved assistant funeral director, forges an unusual friendship with sour-tempered widow Marjorie Nugent. As their bond deepens, Bernie finds himself entangled in a shocking murder case, revealing hidden layers beneath the town’s facade.

MUBI's take

This sweet, surprising true-crime film from Richard Linklater (Before Sunrise) proves part crafty black tragicomedy, part tabloid mockumentary, a lighthearted telling of the real-life story of a 1996 murder in small-town Texas. Starring Shirley MacLaine and an impressive, career-best Jack Black.