A Black Comedy/Thriller from The Coen Brothers...Need I say more?

Rating: 10/10 (26 April 2009)

Going into a Coen brothers movie expecting something traditional is ridiculous by any stretch of the imagination. Any movie directed by the Coens is going to be severely warped in one way or another, either by approach ("No Country for Old Men") or by their sense of humor (everything else).
By all accounts, "Fargo" is a murder mystery, though it is anything but straightforward. This is not "Law & Order." It's about a simple crime that spiraled way out of control for all the principal characters. That's understandable, since everyone populating this story is either hopelessly inept or hopelessly stupid.
Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is a car salesman who needs money to open a new car lot. But since he thinks that the only person who could give the money to him, his father-in-law (Harve Presnell), won't put down the money, he hires two thugs (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to kidnap his wife (Kristen Rudrud) and split the ransom that his father-in-law will pay. Unfortunately for Jerry, the two thugs he hired don't have any brain cells between them, and Jerry is probably the most incompetent criminal the world has ever seen. Things get out of hand very quickly and the bodies start piling up. This draws the attention of the very pregnant Police Chief Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand).
It may seem like I've given a lot away, but really, I haven't. That's just the set-up for a series of unexpected (not to mention bizarre) twist and turns that the Coens throw at us. Many thrillers, even the best ones, have easily projected paths. "Fargo" is anything but.
Despite IMDb listing it as such, merely calling "Fargo" a crime/thriller is an insufficient description. The film is as much a comedy as anything else. From the character's stupidity or complete ineptitude, to the funny accents and way of speaking that everyone has, the Coens never take "Fargo" too seriously.
The acting is the best part of the film. Frances McDormand is a real scene-stealer, and in many ways the best part of the movie. Marge is relentlessly chirpy and optimistic, and she's easily the smartest character in the film (although that's not exactly saying much). "Fargo" really takes off whenever she's on screen. William H. Macy gives his best performance as Jerry. As reprehensible as his plan is, you can't help but feel sorry for the guy. He's so bad at being a criminal, it's really pathetic. But seeing him try to get out of the jams he gets himself into are nothing short of hilarious. Steve Buscemi and Harve Presnell are good as the brainless kidnappers, and even though they think they're smart, they're really, REALLY dumb.
Joel Coen has a knack for twisting the story just enough so that it's funny without lampooning the genre. This isn't a satire, but the jabs it takes almost make it so. It has its share of violence, including a scene that in any other movie would be completely sick and disturbing, but as told by the Coens, it's so shocking and absurd that it's laugh-out-loud hilarious.
Roger Ebert heaped tons of praise on "Fargo," saying that "Movies like 'Fargo' are the reasons why I love movies." While I greatly enjoyed "Fargo," I can't heap that much praise on it. Some of the cuts in the film are too long, and I half-expected a commercial break. Additionally, there's one scene where Marge reunites with a guy from high school that, while funny and irreverent, really doesn't add anything to the story. Still, it's enjoyable enough that it's hardly worth complaining about.
While it may not be perfect, "Fargo" is still a very good film, especially if you have a warped sense of humor.