O.K., so for those who really wanted to take a whack at Ouiser, the grouchy old Southern Lady who picked tomatoes and wore funny hats in "Steel Magnolias", here's your chance. Shirley MacLaine is back. No, she isn't that person who worships the quicksand the mayor's widow walked on, but an equally crabby old biddy whom everyone in her Texas town hates, and really isn't surprised about getting knocked off by her companion/lover Jack Black in this apparently true story. Told in documentary style, a la Woody Allen's "Zelig", this is a black comedy about a seemingly charming man who does everything he can for his community, and then some. Seemingly real people talk about Bernie and how he influenced their lives, brought musical theater to them (footage of "Guys and Dolls" and "The Music Man" are presented, with Black one of the chubbiest Harold Hill's I've ever seen!), and eventually did them a huge favor.

This won't be a film for everybody as it spoofs Texas society, breaking down all the different parts of the huge state, showing the beauty of the land, the home-spun humor, and the "Howdy, Partner!" attitudes usually associated with the home of George W. Bush. Perhaps that's the method behind the madness for the creation of this spoof, much like "Fargo" making light fun of the many different types and bringing in a bit of scandal that one usually associates with big cities. Black is certainly charming, yet something isn't quite right, so it isn't surprising when the murder occurs and MacLaine gets put on ice. For the most part, MacLaine simply just smirks or sneers, only showing the "Queen of Mean" side of this character a few times. There's no real proof given that she was anything more than just a cold bird, and certainly not one deserving of her fate.

Yet, there is something charming about it all, and it's like a bad car accident that you can't take your eyes off of. I must admit that this is almost like a Texas-set John Waters film, maybe even a continuation of "The Last Picture Show" just missing the survivors of that 1971 Peter Bogdanaovich classic. I know at some point down the road, I might even take a peak back at it again. Who knows? Anything's possible in Texas!