Should be heralded as one of the all time great movies

Rating: 10/10 (23 August 2009)

You know when a movie is an absolute masterpiece, or a complete stinker, they are the easiest to review, hands down. Its the films that sit right in the middle that are hardest. Anyhow, without a shadow of a doubt Fargo falls into the former category. It was good the first time i saw it; now I've viewed it a second time it truly is a masterpiece of gargantuan proportions. There's so much right with this movie... in fact I'm unable to think of anything negative about it at all. The story, first and foremost, is a simple one. Jerry Lundegaard hires two crooks to kidnap his wife, whose father in law will pay the ransom, which Jerry will benefit from. But, like most Coen Brothers movies, nothing goes to plan. The Fact that the story is such a simple one is the first main reason why it works so well - don't necessarily over complicate the plot. Ethan and Joel know this, and in simplifying events, allow us to concentrate on the stunning script, the amazing performances and the frozen Minnesotan country. So events go awry... and we are introduced to police chief Marge Gunderson,Frances Mcdormand,AKA Mrs Joel Coen(who deservedly bagged an Oscar), one of the most endearing cinematic creations in recent memory. In a believable, simple way, heavily pregnant Marge puts together the pieces of a terrible crime gone oh so wrong. Its not that its so believable, nor the comic interpretation of the Scandinavian roots of Minessota, nor even the brilliant performances by Mcdormand, William H Macy (a career best), Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare interwoven with a biting, dark, often hilarious script,not even a marvellous score, no its the way in which, at the end, you manage to feel the way in which good prevails over evil a quite riveting and fascinating affair - even with a body count of 7 people, it never feels overly violent. Humanity wins hands down, and that, coupled with all of the above, means that it is in my book, one of the greatest movies ever made. 10/10 David Ford