Joel Coen and Ethan Coen are the most interesting writing/producing/directing team working today. They have somehow not only created a specific style of filmmaking, but an entire world. That peculiar twist of the strange and bizarre with a hint of grotesque shock came to a head in 1996 with Fargo. It was their first film to get the attention of the Oscars, but from the moment Fargo begins, you can tell that this was not a film made with awards in mind.
Fargo famously starts with a disclaimer that this is based on a true story. Of course, we now know that this was not true at all, but it is such a crazy story that it must be 'stranger than fiction.' From the get-go, the Coen brothers are playing with the audience. Does assuming that this is real make us care any more for these characters? Does it make the idea of a man who hires two guys to kidnap his wife so he could get the money to open his own car dealership any more believable? The answer to those questions is yes, but it doesn't make the film any less thrilling.
The film is set in the Midwest, where the Coens grew up, and the year is 1987. Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) goes to Fargo, where he hires two hitmen (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to kidnap his wife, the daughter of car dealership owner Wade Gustafson (Harve Presnell), who is also his boss. Jerry is hoping to scam everyone by telling the hitmen that the ransom will be $80,000 and telling Wade the ransom is $1 million. It's all a scheme to help him get a car dealership of his own.
But things go horribly awry, as most well-laid plans do in Coen films. One of the hitmen, Gaear (Stormare) gets to impatient during a traffic stop, and shoots a cop, then two witnesses. This happened in Brainerd, Minnesota, the jurisdiction of Police Chief Marge (Frances McDormand). She starts her investigation and isn't going to let a little thing like being seven-months pregnant stop her from finding out the truth.
The Coen brothers always seem far more interested in the characters that they've created than the plots, whether they be the insane McDonugh family in Raising Arizona, Larry Gopnik in A Serious Man or the entire cast of The Big Lewbowski. You get a sense that all these characters have these amazing built-in histories and the films are just one chapter of their lives. For Fargo, you can tell that Jerry has been trying for years to get away from his overbearing father-in-law. This is just his latest attempt and he's gone way too far. Marge is an experienced police chief who's lived in Minnesota her entire life. Even investigating a shocking case like this isn't going to waver her 'Minnesota nice' personality.
Fargo is also strengthened by the Oscar-winning original script that features incredible dialogue that feels genuine thanks to the Coen brothers' background. The dialogue really does seem to be the most realist aspect of the film, since the film's look is as stylized as it gets. (Or maybe it just seems that way because I've never been to Minnesota.)
Roger Deakins' cinematography captures Minnesota's wide-open landscape, showing just how isolated this story is. It doesn't get in the way of the characters or plot, instead acting as a supporting character. There are some wonderful shots in this film, including the overhead shot of a tiny Jerry making his way to his car in a parking lot and when Carl (Buscemi) runs across the snow to bury his money.
William H. Macy and Frances McDormand give unique performances that were both recognized for Oscars. Macy was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, but McDormand won and she deserved it. The scenes between the two in the dealership are the best bits of acting in the film.
On Home Video: Fargo is available on Blu-ray from MGM and Fox. It's a nice disc, with a good half-hour documentary on the film and a commentary from Deakins. There's also a trivia track and galleries.
Fargo is a classic of modern cinema that is part thriller, part comedy, but all Coen brothers. Their mainstream breakthrough does not compromise any of their quirks. They do not make films like anyone else, which is what makes their work more enjoyable and unexpected.
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