A CLEVER DARK-HUMORED THRILLER

Rating: 10/10 (20 August 2003)

This is a movie of abundance. First of all, it is abundant with fabulous acting by people, neither of whose names, I was familiar with, when I saw the movie: everybody is perfect in the movie. Each one of the actors fits perfectly for the role assigned to him/her. Secondly, it is abundant in innocence: Though the deeds of the villainous characters are contemptuous to the highest degree, they, along with of course, the `YA' -ing Frances Mc Dormand seem as lovable as Winnie The Pooh! Thirdly, it has an abundance of brilliant photographic shots: The shots, mainly capturing frosty harsh landscapes, in every mood, from every angle, are not only awe-inspiring, but also perfectly fit the downcast and stolid mood of the movie.
Above everything else, the movie is more abundant in subtlety, more than anything else. This flick is supposed to be a thriller. But, it is more humorous than it is violent; though it's few violent moments are really shocking. However, even in the violent scenes, there is a delicate humor, hidden somewhere in the scene. Though done deliberately, the movie is fraught with subtle humor, which gives the flick, a charming personality. The acting is brilliant, in the manner that just the straight faces and controlled emotions of the actors are enough to make us laugh, in the most serious situations. A prime example of the kind of outré humor in this movie, is the scene where Steve Buscemi, a crook, has a business-like conversation with a prostitute while hiring her for the night, in which he asks her whether she gets job-satisfaction in this profession or not: all in a manner, which seems as if two company executives are discussing the NASDAQ!
Seeing Marge Gunderson, (played by Frances McDormand) a beady-eyed seemingly innocuous sweet and homely cop, solve the crime with the encumbrance of pregnancy, is quite a change to the quintessential smart-aleck cop who arrives at a solution, in a trice over a cup of coffee. Every character, be it the crooks - hyper-talkative Carl (Steve Buscemi) and funereal Gaear (Peter Stormare) or the avaricious and confused Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) and his naïve wife Jean (Kristin Rudrud) or the super-cop `Margie' and her hubby, has this little goofy innocence, which adds to the humor of this anomalously dark and comical thriller.
The clever mélange of the unique set of characters made to act in an even more unique way (especially the `YA'-laden accents), the outrageously subtle humor, and the grossly funny violence make the movie, humorous and subfusc, all at the same time. A movie, way far from the ordinary, FARGO deserves a heartening applause.
Rating-10/10