Austin composer Graham Reynolds is set to reunite with Richard Linklater for the director’s upcoming crime comedy “Bernie,” which stars Jack Black in the title role, alongside Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey and Rip Torn.
The two previously collaborated on Linklater’s live-action/animation hybrid adaptation of Phillip K. Dick‘s “A Scanner Darkly” which culminated in an excellently paranoid score by Reynolds. The fact the composer has been brought back for “Bernie” possibly hints at what to expect from the film, which has been described by Linklater as “my ‘Fargo‘” and follows the true story of a funeral home assistant and much-loved community member who oddly finds himself backed by his fellow townspeople despite being accused of murdering a wealthy widow and stealing her money. The script comes courtesy of Linklater and Skip Hollandsworth, who is the author of “Midnight in the Garden of East Texas,” the magazine article the film is based on.
If anything, it’ll be a fascinating turn for Black whose character here is described as the “soft-spoken, chubby-cheeked Bernie Tiede, the former assistant funeral director at Hawthorn Funeral Home” as opposed to his loud man-child act. The film will also see MacLaine play the widow, McConaughey and Torn as attorneys on either side of the case while the rest of the cast will evidently be filled by older local Texans after Linklater put out a call for those “who are not necessarily professional actors…the real deal – funny and interesting folks. There are a lot of small parts in the movie, mostly for people over 40.”
Castle Rock and Mandalay Vision are on board the project which excitingly sees Linklater return behind the camera after both his girl-road-trip flick “Liars (A-E)” with Rebecca Hall and Kat Dennings and his spiritual sequel to “Dazed And Confused” fell through. We’re hoping “Bernie” can have some success and spark a revival for both of those projects, particularly the ‘Dazed’ sequel which Linklater has vowed to return to and describes as “the funniest thing I ever wrote.” [Austin360]
Graham Reynolds featuring Golden Arm Trio – Little Blue Flowers