Review of Fargo (1996) by Stevenf — 04 Aug 2013

Something which can apply to pretty much every Coen brothers film, there is nothing else quite like them out there, they have the wits of any clever drama, the dark humour of any black comedy and the gore and suspense of any thriller or horror flick, but the difference here is they are rolled into one, and Fargo is no different, the latest and one of the greatest from the two imaginative brothers. Also, with these two comes a cast brimming with talent and versatile performances, especially from Frances McDormand, who puts in an Oscar-winning performance as cheerful yet inquisitive police chief Marge Gunderson, who is on the trail of two cons who have been hired by an in over his head salesman trying to rid himself of debts by collecting ransom money for his wife, but a series of mishaps and deaths put a whole different spin on a straightforward tale of fraud.

William H. Macy plays the clever salesman who gets it all wrong, and the film perfectly captures him as a sort of anti-hero, simply trying to rid himself of worries but in typical fashion, good guys finish last. McDormand plays a woman who never truly seems up to the challenge, but surprises us at every turn, all the while being heavily pregnant. She lights up the screen with a budding and peculiar accent which only fits this type of film, she is sure to enjoy her day, but also do her job properly. The film manages to create a sense of wicked behaviour, but treat it as another day at the office for these gentle snow folk. The Coens create scenes that simply shouldn't be funny,, but the combination of a strong 'nice' accent and the comic timing from the actors, which is pivotal in many of the brothers films, make these scenes truly memorable to watch, they have ordinary and daily grind conversations, all while investigating a murder inquiry. Its the perfect blend of drama and thrill, but with a light-hearted stroke for those who simply love the art going on in front of them.

It's truly a triumph not only for its time, but as time goes on, it never ceases to be a clever, simple and unique film, perfectly showcasing the Coen brothers for what they are known for, taking a simple premise and creating the most unpredictable and most engaging films imaginable, doing this through character interaction and environmental cues, combined with excellent scripts and pure talent in acting, easily one of the best films of the nineties for sure.