The Coens' Best

Rating: 10/10 (9 January 2000)

This is without a doubt the Coen Bros' best film. Splendid cinematography, a chilling score, clever script, and brilliant performances make this quirky dark comedy a modern classic. Frances McDormand and William H. Macy are especially memorable. BTW to those who say the scene in the bar with Marge and her high-school chum Mikey was unnecessary, this is not so. Mikey tells Marge how he has married and had children, and that her wife had recently passed away. Marge believes her good friend. But several scenes later she finds out that everything he told her was a lie. This makes Marge question the sincerity of Jerry Lundengard when she first interviewed him, because if a sweet good-natured guy like Mikey can concoct such a lie then so could Lundengard. She finds out Mikey lied to her, the VERY NEXT SCENE she returns to the car dealership to re-interview Lundengard who realizes she may have put the pieces together, so he flees the scene. If Marge never met up with Mikey, she wouldn't have exposed Lundengard as a conspirator. This is the reason that amusing scene is so important. Got it? Good. Have a nice day.