A black comedy with heart

Rating: 10/10 (29 July 2003)

The Coen brothers are obviously skillful filmmakers, but it wasn't until FARGO until they revealed themselves as true artists, with something very valuable to say about the human condition.
From the opening shot to the end credits the Coens unfold their story with uncharacteristic confidence. A car drives through the snow to a haunting violin anthem. An awkward man meets with two criminals and asks them to kidnap his wife.
And the rest of the movie lives up to these first scenes, combining a cold filmmaker's eye with a real human heart. FARGO has what a lot of other Coen films are missing: sincerity. BLOOD SIMPLE, MILLER'S CROSSING, THE HUDSUCKER PROXY--they're all skillfully made and very unique, but really cold. Here, they've found the perfect balance--a satire of small town Midwestern life, a cool noirish plot, but some really devastating characters.
Jerry Lundegaard, for example. The guy's funny, but desperate, and you actually feel for him. But most of all in Margie Gunderson and her husband--wow, what a great addition to an already great film. Marge's a good person without being boring, and through Marge's eyes, the Coen's cold, ironic take on most stories is redeemed. In the end, FARGO is a film that does more than just impress. It moves the audience, ends up being an experience that they will never forget.