Compelling!!!!!!!!! Cannot avoid it.........

Rating: 10/10 (12 March 2008)

How do I even begin to review a film that has been in my personal Top 20 of all time. 'Fargo' is like many Coen brothers films: the story of a stupid crime gone horribly wrong. You can relate it to their Oscar winning film this year 'No COuntry for Old Men' in some ways.
Fargo is arguably the Coen Brother's best movie (though personally I think it's their second-best, after No Country For Old Men). I was pleasantly surprised by the simplicity of the storyline, as many movies concerning crime are often too fast paced and reliant on plot twists. Instead, Fargo's plot develops more through the characters than through what is actually occurring on the screen. The characters themselves, especially Jerry Lundegard, are very well thought out and work in perfect unison with the simplicity of the story. There are no hard-boiled, cynical detectives here, just a simple policewoman who uses basic techniques to outwit her inexperienced counterparts.
Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is in deep debt after committing some major fraud at his father-in-law's car dealership, so he comes up with a scheme to have his wife kidnapped in order for his wealthy father-in-law to pay the ransom. Unfortunately, the men he hires (Peter Stormare and Steve Buscemi) are not only completely unstable and scary but share a half a brain among them. What was supposed to be a simple kidnapping culminates in the murder of three innocent bystanders. Enter Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand) a small-town sheriff, who also happens to be seven months pregnant, who steps in to try to solve the case.
'Fargo' has so many things going for it: Phenomenal acting (McDormand won a well-deserved Oscar for her role) by all players, supporting and lead and a brilliant script that is part mystery, part thriller and part drama and all layered in a thin veneer of some of the darkest comedy seen in recent years, are just two of the outstanding elements. The cinematography of 'Fargo' however is absolutely beautiful. The snow white landscape is so stark and vast; yet suddenly you realize that you are watching a tiny figure in the distance, trudging through the snow; and it's one of the main characters. One shot in particular is so unbelievably framed, that for a good ten seconds, the viewer isn't entirely sure what they are looking at, until it becomes obvious that it is a deserted parking lot with one car parked in the middle of it. Scenes like these are literally breath-taking and hearkens back to some of the beautiful cinematography in one of their earlier films, 'Millers Crossing'.
'Fargo' is one of those movies you watch a dozen times a month then forget about it for a few months. After the few months, you pop it in again and the whole movie is brand new again. I recommend everyone watch this movie even if you are not a Cohen Brothers fan. The great thing about the brothers movies is that even if you don't share their same sense of humor and don't laugh once, the movies they make still hold up with their great stories. But if you do share the same sense of humor, the comedy is just another layer of greatness. Fargo has everything; suspense, a good story, humor, brilliant acting and a score that accompanies the visuals perfectly. Out of my 200+ DVD movies collection, Fargo is one of my most watched (along side my Martin Scorsese collection).