The Wonder of McDormand

Rating: Null/10 (27 December 2002)

Possible spoilers
Frances McDormand is, in my view, one of the most beautiful women in film. I'm glad she married that geek Joel and got this part. She reminds me of that other Coen lady, Holly Hunter, but where Hunter is a go-getter, McDormand is already confident. And what a joy she is to behold in this film.
Just a little while ago I was a part of the group that saw this film as the greatest achievement of the 90s, but now I'm not so sure. After recently catching the first bit of "Barton Fink" on TV again (and after being introduced to Faulkner -- I'll finish reading about Benji, I swear...) I now see that as their masterpiece. Everything about that film, from Turturro's hair to the sound the wallpaper makes to the clever writing on the hotel stationary comes as a sudden burst of brilliance.
When the Coens are in their genre-tinkering mode I'm not always a fan. In the moment it's great fun, but afterwards I want to spit. But when they are in their element as filmmakers as they are here, in "Fink" and "Lebowski" they are shockingly good.
And let's not forget Carter Burwell's climactic theme!
Much has been said about Roger Deakins' wonderful photography, I presume, by people unaccustomed to snow. (Being a Winnipegger, I have to say I'm relatively unimpressed.)
Buscemi, normally the delight of any film, is here overshadowed by the Swede (I think) Peter Stormare, the manic stress of Macy and the glorious McDormand. The guy who plays Macy's father is a charm.
Charles Taylor, the aggresively stupid critic for Salon says that the characters in this film exist only to be ridiculed. Untrue. Take Buscemi for example. Not only does he die like in most Coen movies, but here he's: beat up, shot in the face, hit with an axe and put through a wood-chipper. Stormare? Only shot in the leg. McDormand? Only observed as she's about to (but never does) puke. Macy? Arrested in his underpants. The Asian dude? Watched as he breaks down emotionally. Macy's father? Shot in the gut. The list goes on.
But the Coens don't get any pleasure out of the screen violence this time around. That's "Miller's Crossing," remember? No, here it serves a purpose. Blood looks good on snow.
I still think the film is too short, but just long enough. It's the Coens' most realistic movie (for their standards anyway) and you get McDormand as her wonderful self with that toothy grin.
What more do you want?
4 out of 4