When The Coen
Brothers released "Fargo" in 1996, the film
immediately became a critical darling and
initiated another wave of obsession with
independent films in America.
The film centers on a man, Jerry, in a desperate
financial situation (William H. Macy) who, out
of desperation, pays two men to kidnap his wife
and hold her for a ransom to be paid by his rich
father-in-law. Of course, Jerry isn't the
brightest man and neither are the kidnappers and
a simple plot turns into murder and mayhem.
The case is investigated by the pregnant, no
nonsense sheriff (Frances McDormand) and soon
Jerry's life goes from bad to worse.
"Fargo" is, undoubtedly, a consummate dark
comedy with an amazing authenticity to the
Minnesota area and with one of the sharper, more
intriguing scripts produced in many years. The
film ended up with several Oscar nominations,
including for Macy (Supporting Actor), Direction
(Coen's), and Cinematography (Roger Deakins).
Indeed, it is largely the cinematography that
truly manifests this film great feeling and
authenticity. Deakins uses perfect angles and
colors and shots throughout the film in
capturing the action.
Ultimately, however, the film works because of
the sharp writing of the Coen Brothers and their
Oscar winning script, along with the pitch
perfect Oscar winning performance of Frances
McDormand.
While "Fargo" is a great film, it has never been
a film with which I feel a great bond. I've
admired it, respected the work and yet at no
point in my life do I ever think to myself
"Hmmm. I want to see Fargo again." For me, an A
or A+ film is one that never leaves me. It makes
me want to revisit it even if I never do. It
invades my psyche on a certain level and never
completely goes beneath the surface. "Fargo", as
wonderful as it was, is a film I will never
again need to revisit.
©
Written by Richard Propes
TC Candler's Comment
About thirty
minutes into the Chicago press screening of this
glorious film, the late Gene Siskel got up from
his chair, quietly sneaked over to Roger Ebert's
chair and whispered into his ear, "Roger... This
is the reason I go to the movies!" to which
Roger nodded in agreement.
When I first
heard that story, I recognized the emotion of
it. Sometimes a film is just so freakin'
good that you know you are watching greatness as
it is happening before your eyes.
"Fargo" is a
true classic in every sense of the word. A
lot of fans may blow it off as merely an
entertaining action comedy with silly accents...
but it is so much more than just that.
This is brilliant independent filmmaking and
will be one of the ten or fifteen films from the
1990's that will still be renowned as such many
decades from now.
Jacob
Hall's Comment
n/a
