Forgo the truth for "Fargo"

Rating: 9/10 (24 May 1999)

My mother loves documentaries and films based on true stories. My brother and I brought home "Fargo" on VHS the day it came out, and we watched the film as a family, and when the words "Based on a true story" came up, she declared, "Oh good!" My brother and I just looked at each other smiling. We knew the truth. this was fiction, but we said nothing. I say this without fear of spoiling it for two reasons. Chances are you already knew it was fictional by now, a certain advantage of commenting on the film years later. Secondly, it really doesn't matter. The film is great, any way you look at it. My mother disagrees, she feels that you shouldn't be able to say it's a true story if it's not. Nevertheless, she enjoyed the film.
I support the Coen brothers in their choice to have some fun. More of that can be found if you check the credits carefully, you'll see the symbol for the artist-formerly-known-as-Prince exists as a credit for the rather heavyset driver that is pursued by Peter Stromare. An unlikely match, but amusing considering Prince is from Minnesota, just like the Coen brothers are.
What is so effective about "Fargo" is that despite it's fantastic content, it never loses the air of believability. I think most people forget about the little proclamation at the film's beginning by the time ten minutes have passed. My mother is not one of those people mind you. These brothers excel at story telling, and it's done so convincingly, you don't question it for a minute.
Another interesting aspect of "Fargo" is its wide appeal. I never would've guessed that this would be the breakthrough film for the Coen Brothers. The Hudsucker Proxy was a sheer delight for me, and I consider it one of my favourite films, but it essentially flopped. It is fortunate that things finally turned around for the creative team of Joel and Ethan, with the unanimous success, praise and awards for "Fargo". They have a certain independent spirit that doesn't seem easy to crush. They do things just a little differently, and that's why they stand out as not only thoughtful filmmakers, but also somewhat masters of their own destiny. Marching to the beat of their own drum. I applaud them for it, and eagerly await the next demonstration of their commitment to superlative cinema.