Fargo
4/4
Starring: Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy, Peter Stormare, Harve Presnell
Rated R for Strong Violence, Language and Sexuality
Like most of the Coen Brothers' movies, "Fargo" is a twisted and bizarrely funny affair. Sure, it's a crime story, but offbeat doesn't even begin to describe it. It's really a comedy punctuated by sudden violence and plot twists. Or is it a crime thriller that's punctuated by offbeat humor? I can't decide. It doesn't matter, though. The end result is just as entertaining.
Jerry Lundegaard (Macy) is a car salesman with a plan: he's hiring two men to kidnap his wife (Kristin Rudrud) and use the ransom money from her father Wade Gustafson (Presnell) to pay for a patch of land to build a new lot. Of course, absolutely nothing goes as planned, and three people end up dead. Perky and pregnant police cheif Marge Gunderson (McDormand) is on the case, and she stumbles onto it almost by accident.
This movie is hilarious in surprising ways. From the over-the-top accent to the darkly funny interaction between the characters, "Fargo" will keep you in stitches as well as on the edge of your seat. It's a rare feat that a movie can do both, and the Coen Brothers do that. And more.
The acting is consistently high caliber. Frances McDormand won a much deserved Oscar for playing Margie. She's all sunshine and smiles, and almost impossibly perky. But she's a good cop, and despite the high pitched voice and funny accent, she never becomes a caricature. We like her. William H. Macy is just as good, playing what has to be the most incompetent criminal in film history. Jerry is not your typical bad guy; he's polite, sunny, and well, pathetic, really. He's so bad at crime that you have to feel sorry for the guy. Steve Buscemi is hilarious as Carl Showalter, the inept criminal who never shuts up. Peter Stormare is also good as his partner who barely says a word (despite Carl's best attempts).
The beauty of the film is its mix of emotions. It's funny and suspenseful, yes, but it's also kind of sad. Despite everything, the characters are kind of likable to varying degrees, and many of them won't be around when the end credits roll. The score by Carter Burwell emphasizes this. Yet the Coens have skillfully mixed all these emotions into one coherent, and unusual tale.
You never go into a Coen Brothers movie expecting a normal movie. They're not normal filmmakers, and to expect otherwise is pointless. I've seen a number of their films ("No Country for Old Men," "The Ladykillers," "Burn After Reading," "O Brother Where Art Thou?'), but "Fargo" remains the pinnacle of their careers. It's unlikely they, or anyone, can top it.
Starring: Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy, Peter Stormare, Harve Presnell
Rated R for Strong Violence, Language and Sexuality
Like most of the Coen Brothers' movies, "Fargo" is a twisted and bizarrely funny affair. Sure, it's a crime story, but offbeat doesn't even begin to describe it. It's really a comedy punctuated by sudden violence and plot twists. Or is it a crime thriller that's punctuated by offbeat humor? I can't decide. It doesn't matter, though. The end result is just as entertaining.
Jerry Lundegaard (Macy) is a car salesman with a plan: he's hiring two men to kidnap his wife (Kristin Rudrud) and use the ransom money from her father Wade Gustafson (Presnell) to pay for a patch of land to build a new lot. Of course, absolutely nothing goes as planned, and three people end up dead. Perky and pregnant police cheif Marge Gunderson (McDormand) is on the case, and she stumbles onto it almost by accident.
This movie is hilarious in surprising ways. From the over-the-top accent to the darkly funny interaction between the characters, "Fargo" will keep you in stitches as well as on the edge of your seat. It's a rare feat that a movie can do both, and the Coen Brothers do that. And more.
The acting is consistently high caliber. Frances McDormand won a much deserved Oscar for playing Margie. She's all sunshine and smiles, and almost impossibly perky. But she's a good cop, and despite the high pitched voice and funny accent, she never becomes a caricature. We like her. William H. Macy is just as good, playing what has to be the most incompetent criminal in film history. Jerry is not your typical bad guy; he's polite, sunny, and well, pathetic, really. He's so bad at crime that you have to feel sorry for the guy. Steve Buscemi is hilarious as Carl Showalter, the inept criminal who never shuts up. Peter Stormare is also good as his partner who barely says a word (despite Carl's best attempts).
The beauty of the film is its mix of emotions. It's funny and suspenseful, yes, but it's also kind of sad. Despite everything, the characters are kind of likable to varying degrees, and many of them won't be around when the end credits roll. The score by Carter Burwell emphasizes this. Yet the Coens have skillfully mixed all these emotions into one coherent, and unusual tale.
You never go into a Coen Brothers movie expecting a normal movie. They're not normal filmmakers, and to expect otherwise is pointless. I've seen a number of their films ("No Country for Old Men," "The Ladykillers," "Burn After Reading," "O Brother Where Art Thou?'), but "Fargo" remains the pinnacle of their careers. It's unlikely they, or anyone, can top it.
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