The Ultimate Coen Brothers' Movie and one of the Best Films Period

Rating: 10/10 (4 March 2003)

Here's the brilliant duality of "Fargo." You can watch it as so many claim it is to be intended, as a comedy, and thoroughly enjoy yourself (I especially love when Marge is interrogating the girls from the bar). However, was this really how the film was intended to be viewed? This is an inherent problem with many Coen brothers' films. Their movies are always so lovingly filmed, meticulously crafted, and beautifully photographed, that you are often shocked that they seem to treat their characters and stories with such a light handed and often mocking touch. "Blood Simple" and "Miller's Crossings" were the dramatic exceptions (no doubt, these are not comedies) and "Raising Arizona," "The Big Lebowski," and "Oh, Brother Where Art Thou?" operate at the other end of the spectrum (these are all great comedies). All of their other films fall oddly in between.
This "Fargo" is probably the strangest as it claims to be inspired by true events and follows many of the same dramatic twists as "Blood Simple." Yes, I think we are supposed to laugh at the accents, and Jerry Lundegard (as played so brilliantly by William H. Macy) is so inept at everything and such a weaselly prick you can't help but laugh. But "Fargo" is also operating on some higher level as an archetypal battle between good and evil (law abiding citizens making an honest living and criminals killing for money). I have no doubt that Marge Gunderson (the pitch perfect Frances McDormand) is supposed to be viewed as a heroine of the most noble order. In the end there is justice, and Marge dispenses to our captured killer the moral of it all while taking him away in the police car. "There's more to life than that (referring to money)." Dontchya know? And isn't that the moral we all need to be reminded of in this capitalist society? Dontchya know indeed.