Fargo

Rating:
Summary: Overrated
Review: I have no idea who's idea it was to put this movie on the AFI's top 100 greatest movies of all time. And ahead of movies like Pulp Fiction, Goofellas, Easy Rider, and many others. This movie shouldn't be anywhere near the top 100. I can think of hundreds that are way better. I dont know what anyone sees in this movie. I thought it was terrible.

Rating:
Summary: Best film of 1996. You betcha, yah.
Review: Fargo has just been re-released in the UK as a Special Edition DVD with some nice extras. Not sure if this is the case in the US yet, but it is definately a worthwhile addition to anyone's collection.

New extras to R2 are:
Minnesota Nice - a documentary looking back on both the making of and impact of Fargo
Interview with the Coen Bros. and Frances McDormand (an excerpt from something called The Charlie Rose Show)
An audio commentary with Roger Deakins (Director of Photography)
A trivia track that plays during the film.
A Coen Brothers Family Tree - nice feature highlighting where everyone fits in with the Coens through every film they have made.
The obligatory photo gallery plus trailers
An American Cinematographer article on Fargo interviewing both the Coen Bros. and Roger Deakins.

As you can see, the extras are pretty impressive.

As to the film, well I think it's best to decribe this as a dark comedy thriller (and even that doesn't really do it justice). Quite simply this is one of the best original films with a great ensemble cast, and there are no weak performances. There are some quite scary and gory scenes in this film, but the overall tone is one of reality and comedy. No-one acts as if they are the stereotypical villain or hero, and actually seem quite stupid at times. This is partly due to the complete down-to-earth attitudes of the American mid-West where this is based. The dialect and mannerisms of the characters often hide the underlying intelligence that is clearly there. This is most true in the character of Chief Marge (played by Frances McDormand, who won an Oscar for this very role) who leads a seemingly stupid hick local Police Force while being 6 months pregnant. Whilst all her underlings are busy saying Yah, Marge seems to know exactly what has happened from the moment she sees the devastion at the murder scene, and doggedly chases down the case and resolves it.

Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare play the completely inept kidnappers. Steve is the one who can't shut up, even when he decides not to talk to his co-conspirator, while Peter is definately a man of action rather than a man of words (I think he says about a dozen words at most in the complete film). Strangely, it's hard not to feel sympathy for these two as it becomes more and more clear that things are just spiralling out of control. Even more strangely, the demise of Steve is both shocking and funny in the context of the film. I felt a bit uncomfortable laughing at Steve being killed, but I just couldn't help it...

Willam H. Macy plays the role of his life as Jerry, the man with ideas way above his ability to see them through. He says "Gosh" a lot too. He is the one who comes with a plan to make money from his awful father-in-law by kidnapping his wife (even though he clearly loves her). Although he doesn't see exactly what is happening around him, he can feel everything going wrong but is still optimistic enough to believe he can make it work in the long-term. It is patently obvious to everyone watching, though, that this just ain't gonna happen.

The other cast members in the background of this film are also superb, particulary the two girls who get interviewed by Marge and the man who tells a cop about his meeting with Steve Buscemi. Yah. Marge's husband, Norm, doesn't say or do a lot, but you get a real sense of how the marriage works. It's steady as a rock, and must be typical of a lot of marriages out there (except in Hollywood of course). Marge's obvious pride at Norm getting a wildlife painting on a 3 cent stamp is a joy to watch.

The pace of this film is quite slow, a bit as it would be in the real world. Nothing really happens at the speed of light, but is no less intense for this. The attention to detail and cinematography is brilliant with a completely bleak and white landscape used to stunning effect, particularly when Steve Buscemi buries his money beside a wire fence. The accents are just unbelievably brilliant. It's nice to have authentic regional accents in films rather than just the bland East Coast/West Coast US accent (as a Brit it is just as annoying to see English actors having to speak Estuary English all the time - we don't all speak like that you know).

I'm not a Coen film freak, I've only ever watched "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" besides this film, but this film is just a complete joy to watch. It'll make you laugh out loud and also shock you as to how a simple plan can easily go more wrong than a wrong thing. If you haven't got this in your collection, do yourself a favour. Go pick this up. You won't regret it. You betcha, yah.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: One of the finest movies I've seen for some time. I bought it here (on video, where's the DVD?!) and I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. Admittedly it's a bit slow to start with and the plot is very linear, but the direction and script are spot on. I was already a fan of the Coen brothers, as they seem to do something different everytime and pull it off nicely and this was no exception.

So long as you can stick with it, it's fascinating.

Rating:
Summary: "There's more to life than a little bit of money."
Review: These words of wisdom come from Marge, the wonderful pregnant sheriff of Brainerd, Minnesota. They are words that every other character in this movie should have taken to heart. Though this statement isn't poetic, it is apt. Marge's wisdom throughout the film is hidden behind a thick Canadian-like accent and hokey catch phrases ("Thanks a bunch.")

The plot in this film revolves around what I would have to describe as the opposite of the perfect crime. Jerry Lundergaard, a pathetic car salesman who has accumulated a mountain of debt (no doubt as the result of other hair-brained schemes that fell apart) formulates a plan. He hires two criminals whom he has never met before to kidnap his wife. Jerry explains to the kidnappers that he will tell his wealthy father-in-law that Jean is being held for an $80,000 ransom--which he will split with the kidnappers. In reality, Jerry will tell his father-in-law that the ransom is $1,000,000, and he will keep all but $40,000. To seal the deal, he throws in a burnt umber Sierra stolen off his lot.

With that masterful scheme in place, Jerry sits back and waits to collect the money. However, because of the combined brainpower of all involved, the scheme goes horribly awry. People are killed. Enter Marge Gunderson: Brainerd's very pregnant police chief who obviously has a head for detective work.

The story is a gruesome comedy of errors. It may be too dark for some watchers to enjoy, but I think it was the funniest film made in the 90's. The characters are hilarious and completely pathetic at the same time. (It usually isn't right to laugh at people so obviously pathetic as these folks, but the characters of Jerry, his father-in-law, and the two kidnappers are completely unsympathetic.) The setting is itself a central player in the unfolding of events. And Marge is the heroine who puts the pieces together--all the while encouraging her lovable husband to submit the winning entry into the duck-design postage stamp contest.

As the plot continues to unravel, you will have a hard time believing the characters involved could top their last act of blatant stupidity. But they do, time and time again. Like when Steve Buscemi hides stolen money on the shoulder of a vast snowy stretch of highway and marks the spot with a tiny windshield scraper sticking three inches out of the ground. Or when Jerry "gets snippy" with Marge during an interview, and drives off in a car from the lot. This film is truly a must-see. Watch it for the bungling criminals, wonderful heroine, and a glimpse of a surreal life in the great American north.

Rating:
Summary: ?
Review: I gave Fargo three stars because I enjoyed most of it. It was funny, and witty. Frances McDormand did a good job, as did Steve Buscemi and William H. Macy. I would have given it more stars, but then the end happened. I thought that it was a pretty stupid and abrupt ending that took away from the movie. All that it left me saying was "what???" Anyway, this was not at all something that a family could enjoy together. Its R rating reflects strong violence, pervasive strong language and some sexual situations. Some said that this movie was a total spoof, but even with that knowledge, the end ruined it. The first 96 minutes were great. The last 2 took away from it!

Rating:
Summary: Thanks a bunch ... but disappointing DVD
Review: FARGO is the best film of 1996! A tragic story set around a tiny town. Best labelled a 'dark comedy', FARGO will keep you on the edge of your seat with it's funny but sad overtones. Frances McDormad is outstanding as the town cop with the funniest accent.

DVD EVALUATION: Fargo is definitely worth owning, but its release on DVD leaves much to be desired. AFter making us wait for some time for it, it comes with very little. The print is rather patchy in parts. If you can overlook these issues, then order the DVD because FARGO is very much worth owning.

Rating:
Summary: Top 10 movie of all time...
Review: I've shown this movie to some of my friends who just don't get it. It seems this is a movie you either "get" or you don't.
I think people who don't care for it are taking it too seriously as though it was meant to be a straight drama.
I think it is one of blackest comedies I have ever seen.
There are so many scenes that just kill me. And still do even after watching it 10 times.
Francis McDormand deservedly won the Oscar for her splendid performance.
I spoke to a baseball player who practiced and played in Fargo. He said the city is a wonderful place...that it's nothing like the movie. "Well, except maybe for the accents."
I don't know. From my point of view, even the movie showed Fargo is a wonderfully unique place to live.

Rating:
Summary: Definitely deserved the Oscar
Review: A remarkable story, yet disturbing and sad. Frances McDormand shines as usual, but the supporting cast is just as noteworthy. A definite must-see!

Rating:
Summary: Overrated
Review: This film is interesting but ultimately adds up to nothing. There's nothing "intellectual" or sophisticated about it; it's just a basic murder mystery without much mystery trying to blend elements of dark comedy without much humor. Despite some good performances (especially William H. Macy), the dialogue is downright moronic at times and the plot has no real suspense. There might have been some suspense built around about whether the wife will survive, but the filmmakers chose to almost completely ignore it, making her death a side-note in a conversation later in the film. Poor sense of drama. The filmmakers seem to be playing the joke on us. I wasn't laughing.

Rating:
Summary: Marge and Norm--the real beautiful people?
Review: What a great movie!The story is filled with off beat humor and weirdness that will make you shake your head and point to the screen. The performances are fantastic! Frances McDormand couldn't be any better as Marge and the scenes between her and husband Norm are absolutely priceless. Wm. Macy is perfect and the rest of the cast shines. The bumbling bad guys are a violent stitch.I love Steve Buscemi--what a little creep!The accents,the relationships,everything about this movie is charming(which is something to say for a movie with 1/2 dozen deaths that could only be called dark humor).This is definitely the best thing the Coen Bros. have ever done.Just a last note:do not miss the last scene between Marge and Norm,it is a great moment!