Director's Series: The Coen Bros' FARGO (1996)

Let’s get this out of the way at the top - the Coen Bros.’ 1996 masterpiece FARGO is in my top 10 List of All Time Favorite films and this most recent rewatch has only solidified it’s place on the list.

Supposedly, a “true story” (it’s not), FARGO tells the tale of a hapless Car Salesman (William H. Macy) who hires two equally hapless hitmen (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to kidnap his wife. When things take a tragic turn, a small town Minnesota Sheriff (Frances McDormand in an Oscar winning role) is hot on the case.

Wonderfully written and Directed by the Coens, FARGO brought “How to Speak Minnesotan” to the forefront in a sharply drawn portrayal of triumph and tragedy during a bleak Minnesota winter.

There as much comedy as there is drama in this film as pregnant Sheriff Marge Gunderson tracks down the kidnappers in a “ya’, you betcha” way that is reminiscent of Columbo at his peak.

McDormand, of course, well deserved her Oscar for this film. Her character is strong and smart with just the right amount of “Uff-Da Minnesotan” poured in to make her character charming and effective.

She is ably balanced by the ineptetudeness of William H. Macy’s Jerry Lundegaard. If you look up “sad sack” in the dictionary, there is (more than likely) a picture of Jerry Lundegaard.

Unless there’s a picture of Steve Buscemi’s criminal character, Carl Showalter who talks a good game but can’t seem to walk the walk. His buoyancy is smartly balanced by the stoicism and menace that Peter Stormare brings to the other criminal element, Gaer Grimsrud. It’s a wonderful pairing.

As is the case in Coen Bros. films, the rest of the cast is made up of interesting faces (most of them local actors from the Twin Cities) with former MGM Musical star Harve Presnell showing one last time that he someone who can command the screen as Wade Gustafson, the rich father of the kidnapping victim.

These characters get to play in a fully realized environment that is made all the more richer (and bleaker) by the GREAT Cinematography by one of the greatest Cinematographers of all-time, Roger Deakins.

An absolute triumph by the Coens, FARGO remains my favorite of all their films (and there are quite a few really, really good movies that will give this one a run for their money).

Letter Grade: A+

10 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)

Next Month: THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998)