Another Brilliant Coen Movie!

Rating: 10/10 (2 April 2005)

I love the Coens for many things; it is especially for the unique vision and quality they put into their brilliant movies, but it is also for their uncompromising study of the darkest side of Mankind. Ever since they debuted with the superb 'Blood Simple,' the Coens have explored the worst in man's soul and psyche, the horrible things that makes him tick in disturbing ways, the things that leads one to violent, pointless things like kidnapping and murder. 'Fargo' is their darkest movie second only to their disturbing debut. A saving grace this movie has which the other didn't have is basically the dark humour in the right moments to lighten the tension in the air.
Like 'Blood Simple,' the story is straightforwardly simple and linear: Jerry Lundegaard, in the middle of personal problems the viewer never figures out exactly what they are, hires Carl and Gaer, two inhuman criminals, to kidnap his wife Jean so his father-in-law will pay a ransom, a part of which will go straight into Jerry's pockets. It sounds too simple to be interesting, but 'Fargo' is really one of most gripping thrillers I've ever seen! The first half hour unfolds smoothly as one would expect  Jerry's plan working just perfectly to avoid innocent deaths  until an unexpected incident turns everything upside-down. Like Carl tells Jerry, "the circumstances have changed." And this is when Marge, the most unlikely sheriff to investigate a triple murder ever, comes into the picture and the movie reaches the heights of greatness and perfection.
This movie is built on two very simple, well-achieved things. Sure, one can go on about the outstanding cinematography that captures the snow-white landscapes of Minnesota so beautifully, the smooth editing, and the Coens' use of the camera. But 'Fargo' owes its quality to an intelligent screenplay and a wide range of outstanding performances. The dialogue  clear, subtle and economical  transmits volumes of information in just a few lines; not a line is wasted or fails to humanise one of the characters. The story is so fast-paced within the first ten lines we already know what everything is about. Most movies don't really start until the end of the first half hour to comply with the three-act structure device of the plot point. Relationships are established quickly: one immediately gets the sense Wade thinks Jerry is a bumbling fool who can't handle too much responsibility; one sees Jerry doesn't like Wade just from the way he feels uncomfortable in his present. Carl and Gaer's relationship is built on the fact these two men know nothing about each other and have nothing to talk about, as Carl points out to Gaer; the former is the biggest chatterer around, the latter is silent: in essence, these are two complete strangers who just got together to pull of a kidnapping and get money. The quality of this screenplay is also evident in the way the Coens transmit so much information visually: so many things are left unsaid because strong images fill in the holes for the viewer. In the end, this screenplay is the one of the best and most economical screenplays ever written for modern cinema!
The performances are consistently great, too! William H. Macy captures the pathetic existence that forms Jerry so well! His lack of determination, his little mannerisms, his idiolect, his hesitation, cravenness, his sense of insecurity; Jerry might just be the greatest human failure in American cinema and Macy played him brilliantly! Frances McDormand is also perfect as the unusual heroine  a pregnant small town sheriff looking for two criminals responsible for a triple murder. McDormand plays Marge wonderfully with all the local innocence inherent in the character, her good manners and strength, so opposed to Jerry's weakness which becomes his doom. Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare are well-cast as two cruel, greedy, ruthless criminals who recklessly kill and hurt people just for the ridiculous sum of $80,000. Human greed was never so well portrayed as in 'Fargo.' Stormare is great even though he remains silent throughout most of the movie; but Buscemi is just electrifying! He shines in every scene he's in, whether it be when he's collecting the money from Wade, when he's getting his ass kicked hard or just when he shows glimpses of his cruelty like when he snickers at Jerry's helpless, hand-bound, blind-folded wife trying to make her way across a frozen landscape. One last great performance was Harve Presnell's as Wade, the determined father-in-law who spells doom for Jerry.
'Fargo' is consistently perfect throughout its 90 minutes: it's a small, but very intense and fast-paced movie. It's not as gripping as the Coens' debut, the movie which to me strikes more similarities with this one than any other Coen movie. But this one isn't as violent, there's also a fantastic dark, acid humour in every scene. The scene where the hulking Shep Proudfoot beats the crap out of a naked Carl is priceless!
Like 'Blood Simple,' I originally didn't enjoy 'Fargo:' it took me a few viewings to finally love this movie; today it's one of my favourites! I'm constantly watching it on DVD, marvelling at the small details that make this movie so consistently good. It's another great movie for the Coens in what is an otherwise perfect career!