The Coen's mainstream breakthrough is still one of their best.

Rating: Null/10 (13 January 2004)

The Coen brothers movies thrive on irony so it's very apt that after their attempt at a big Hollywood picture 'The Hudsucker Proxy' flopped they went the opposite way with 'Fargo' and it turned out to be their breakthrough into the mainstream. Because this movie was such a popular success it's easy for long time fans to overlook it while praising lesser known Coen classics like 'Miller's Crossing' and 'Barton Fink'. But the thing is 'Fargo' deserved the success because it's a very fine movie and still one of the best things they ever did. I've seen it four of five times and every time I do I slap my forehead with a "hot damn! this is GOOD!". The acting in 'Fargo' is almost like a master class, especially from Frances McDormand and William H. Macy. McDormand is of course married to Joel Coen and co-starred in the brothers debut 'Blood Simple', but her performance as Marge Gunderson, one of the nicest cops in cinema history, really made people sit up and take notice. This is Macy's only Coen movie to date, which is a shame, because he relishes dialogue and they come up with some of the best since Macy's mentor David Mamet. Steve Buscemi also gives a comic gem of a performance as an inept kidnapper hired by Macy. It's no surprise that the Coens have worked with him so regularly, he's just great. I always say that my favourite Coen brothers movie is the most recent one I've watched, so that means this week it's 'Fargo', a brilliant movie that shouldn't be missed by any film buff. If you've seen it before, watch it again. It's the kind of movie which deserves repeated viewings.