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chapter11 [ 10.0 ]
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This is really just in the interest of cataloguing as many movies as possible, but seriously-- do i even need to mention why "Fargo" is terrific? I will say that, hot *damn*, Macy can pour on the acting chops when called to do so. Seriously, his performance here is a hall of famer.
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kcremer [ 10.0 ]
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This is nothing less than a work of genius by the Coen brothers. Just in case you're deprived enough to not have seen it yet, let me explain the movie to you.
It takes place in Brainerd, a snowy town in Minnesota (what town in Minnesota isn't snowy?), where everyone says "yah" instead of "yeah". The main character is Jerry (William H. Macy, in his best role ever), who works for his rich, smug father-in-law at the latter's car dealership.
We find at the beginning of the movie that Jerry is in serious debt. He tried to borrow money from his father-in-law, to no avail. So Jerry decides to hire a couple of thugs (one played by Steve Buscemi) to kidnap Jerry's wife and demand a ransom from his father-in-law. Jerry foolishly trusts that these two can pull this off without a problem.
Needless to say, a problem does occur for the two along the way, and one of them commits a murder. Three murders, to be exact.
This is when we meet Margie (Frances McDormand, in an Oscar-winning role), a pregnant police officer from Brainerd. It becomes her resposibility to solve these murders and bring the criminals to justice.
I've said enough. If you haven't seen this movie, you must watch it. You will not be disappointed. If you have seen it, watch it again. And again. And again, like I do.
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jerm [ 10.0 ]
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Fargo is a perfect movie.
Watching Fargo is a singular experience; no other movie I've ever seen is quite like it and it's repeatability is among the highest of any.
Fargo's quirkiness is its most endearing quality. Every character has an interesting speech pattern or mannerism about them which only serves to further develop the films authenticity and uniqueness.
Buscemi's best performance.
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BILOXIBECKY [ 9.5 ]
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Almost perfect. That would've been a good title for this movie, too.
Jerry Lundergaard (William H. Macy in his "breakout" role) is desperate. He's been up to some shenanigans at the car dealership he works for, and needs $40,000 to cover his tracks. His father-in-law is wealthy, but won't help him. So he devises a scheme to have his wife kidnapped, have her father pay $80,000 ransom, which he will split with the kidnappers. A perfect plan, or so it would seem. But three people get murdered before the "kidnappers" even make it to their hideaway cabin. Investigating these murders is Marge (Frances McDormand in an Oscar-winning role), the sheriff of Brainerd, Minnesota. She's seven-months pregnant, and very nice. "Minnesota nice", as it were.
This movie is a bit of a departure for the Coen brothers, in that the camera work isn't as elaborate or exaggerated. It's much more subtle and mature. The characters are a little more richly drawn here, too. Even though Jerry is an embezzler and plots to kidnap his own wife, you understand his sense of overwhelming frustration with his life. This only mounts as things get out of hand. The character of Marge is the central one, however. She provides the viewer with kind of a security blanket, a sense in spite of all the brutal violence in the world, things will work out in the end.
The soundtrack is very Nordic in nature, very bleak and winterish. It fits perfectly with the landscape of Minnesota. The film claims to be based on true events. That may be a "tongue in cheek" claim.
A lot of people focus on the accents used in the movie, but they are true Minnesotan accents, and the movie is set in Minnesota, so what's the problem? If the movie were set in the south, no one would complain about the characters having southern accents.
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FireGod [ 3.0 ]
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I've always known that the Oscars suck, but the fan popularity of this movie absolutely staggers me. I'm beginning to wonder if half of the movie goers base their opinions of a movie strictly on the Oscars and the thousands of burnt out, dull critics out there. Fargo is an 8.1 with over 12000 votes on the IMDb for crying out loud! This is without a doubt the most over-rated movie I have ever seen, with zombie-like acting and terrible writing. It's one of those movies that I laughed at, not with, and I have no idea if it was a comedy on purpose or by accident. If I lived in Minnesota I'd be plenty pissed off because this film makes the people there look like cardboard figures pretending to be goofy moroninc humans. The Brothers Coen geniuses? I think not. And if anyone is thinking "he just didn't get it"; well, if true, at least that's one good thing about Fargo; because whether it was supposed to be serious, or supposed to have some deep comical meaning, I don't WANT to get it!
Jeremy Barger
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/firegodsmovieclub
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JD [ 9.0 ]
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When I first saw this, I grouped it in with all those other 90's movies like Pulp Fiction and Glengarry Glenross. However, I've seen it so many times since then and I've actually come to love it. It's a sick and twisted film on all accounts, but how can you go wrong with Steve Buscemi and William H Macy as psychopath criminals? This is a definite must see.
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Emmitt [ 7.0 ]
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A good movie, but I didnt like this as much as many others. Certainly better than Blood Simple which was very popular and also starred Frances Mcdormand. She's a good actress but the humour at times was over the top.
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Love_Spoon [ 8.0 ]
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Very cool (and very rough) film by the Coen Brothers. It completely dives into the peculiar mannerisms and speech patterns of our Minnesota/North Dakota fellow Americans and makes a half-comedy/half-drama out of a grisly murder story. A seemingly innocuous car salesman (Bill Macy) has a rich, overbearing father-in-law. Since he's behind on some personal finances, a light bulb goes off in his head and he decides to concoct a hostage/ransom situation with his own wife from his father-in-law. Perpetually nervous and suspicious, Macy wanted a simple plan which would harm no one while still providing a bit of financial incentive. The plan gets a bit out of hand when Father-in-Law doesn't give up the money as easily as planned, and things just go steeply downhill from there. Worth a look, but not for weak stomachs.
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crreig [ 8.5 ]
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Fargo sticks to the roof of your mouth; no matter how many times one watches it, it remains mysterious, almost awkward. In the same way we are able to dismiss a run-of-the-mill movie, we could dismiss Fargo. Why then, do so many people continue to rave about the film?
The answer, some have said, lies in good direction and superb acting. One could criticize William H. Macy, labeling him a character actor, but he is the perfect Jerry Lundegaard; his nervous, hang-dog face has never seemed so well-used. Frances McDormand is also excellent as Marge Gunderson, the pregnant police chief.
But there is something else in Fargo, something more captivating. Something makes us return to a story which, otherwise, could be as forgettable or offensive as Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers.
I believe the strength of Fargo, what makes it so damned good, is the ability of the film to not be a film. That is to say, the film isn't sure if it is art or life. I'm never really sure if what I'm watching is "good" because it seems so real or "bad" for the same reason.
Fargo resides somewhere between dream and reality and it is the seamless, but fragile, marriage of the two worlds which make this film such a tender, human tale.
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shanster [ 9.5 ]
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So...If ya can see dis movie and then not tak funny for da next week, you are a better person dan I, eh. The accents just get in your head. Well done, all around. Steve Buscemi and Frances McD are perfectly cast.
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| Weighted Rating | : 8.0 |
| No. Ratings | : 36 | |
| No. Reviews | : 15 | |
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