fools in the snow

Rating: 9/10 (31 January 2004)

When it was released in 1996, "Fargo" met public and especially critical acclaim and collected several rewards. But I think that if the Prize for the Best Directing at the Cannes festival was absolutely justified, on the other hand, Frances McDormand didn't deserve her Oscar in 1997. William H.Macy should have won it. His performance as an hypocritical and dishonest car seller is powerful and unforgettable.
What is amazing in "Fargo" are the landscapes, the sceneries and above all the characters. The Coen brothers said about the movie: " the landscapes, the sceneries are an integral part of the movie. They are typical of the Midwest as well as the characters with their sensitivity and their mentality". They know what they are talking about since they come from the Midwest, more precisely from the Minnesota. As a consequence, they must have been at ease by making this thrilling movie.
Concerning the characters, they are the subject of a realistic and down-to-earth description. Each of them has a different but not very status-enhancing characteristic: William H.Macy's cues are almost always hesitating, unfinished or unsure, the two gangsters are just silly guys (one of them nearly never talks) and most of the inhabitants including Frances McDormand are narrow-minded. By this way, the Coen brothers wanted to underline their meanness of mind and the fact that they are firmly rooted in their land of the Minnesota.
Apart from the characters and although the movie is based on a true story, I am obliged to recognize that the script and the way the movie is designed have nothing new. But nonetheless, the tone is daring, there's black humor cleverly used (notably in bloody moments) that contrasts with a quiet even neutral directing. As for the snowy landscapes, they will later inspire Sam Raimi for "a simple plan" (1998), a movie as successful as "Fargo".
"Fargo" is eventually the finest movie made by the Coen brothers and its place in the top 250 is thoroughly justified.