Fargo

Fargo

Starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare

Directed by Joel & Ethan Cohen

Synopsis:
Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is in dire need of money, and instead of asking his wealthy father-in-law, he hatches a plan to have his wife kidnapped at the hands of Carl Showalter (Steve Buscemi) and Gaear Grimsrud (Peter Stormare).  The kidnapping goes horribly wrong, and three people end up dead.  Pregnant Minnesota police chief Marge Gunderson takes up the case which leads her to Lundegaard and spirals into an out-of-control predicament involving more deaths - and a wood chipper.

Review:
"Fargo" is one of those films I've always wanted to see and heard nothing but good things about, but never had the time to sit down and actually see it.  I finally found time to see it, and it far exceeded my expectations.  Joel and Ethan Cohen are well known for their offbeat style of filmmaking ("No Country for Old Men" immediately comes to mind), and "Fargo" is no different.  It's not your typical "glamorized" Hollywood picture with ravishing scenery, top-knotch effects or overly complicated storylines - instead it's a rather simplistic tale of a kidnapping gone wrong, and an average everyday hero who stops at nothing to get her man.

"Fargo" made Frances McDormand a household name, and garnered her an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role - a role in which she doesn't appear until one-third of the way into the film.  She commands the screen with her "aw shucks" North Dakota charm and odd innocence, yet showing enough gumption to not take crap from anyone.  William H. Macy gives a terrific performance as well, portraying the bumbling brains behind the outlandish kidnapping operation, and as his plan unravels around him, he shows his true colors as to what a coward he really is.

Besides McDormand's performance, the other actor who really shined was Steve Buscemi as one of the inept kidnappers, who takes the leadership role and sets everything up - just to see it all fall apart.  One of the best things of the film is how people describe him: "he was a little guy.  Kinda funny lookin'."  He's not a typical kidnapper, but rather someone who seems to have no clue what he's doing, yet act like he does.  His performance is so nuanced that you don't find yourself hating him like you should, but rather see him as a delicate character, someone who's in way over his little head. 

So what is the theme of this film?  Margie says it best in the end:
"For a little bit of money. There's more to life than a little money, you know. Don'tcha know that? And here ya are, and it's a beautiful day. Well. I just don't understand it."

Summary:
"Fargo" is one of those rare gems of a film that no one should miss, which is no surprising why it earned a spot in the coveted National Film Registry.

My Rating: A+