You betcha this movie rocks!
What is there to even say about Fargo at this point? It and the Coen Brothers - alongside Quentin Tarantino and his 90s classics - pretty much created the template for the dark comedy crime caper.
Quirky characters? Check. Criminals completely out of their depth? Check. A strong sense of place? Check. Pitch black comedy and brutal violence? Check and check.
It's almost hard to watch a film like this and think about it objectively. The film's impact and influence is so vast that it ceases to be a movie, but a cultural institution. That being said, it's a really good move in its own right.
I was surprised by how small of a role Frances McDormand's Marge actually has in this movie. She's actually quite marginal to the plot, and it's mostly driven by Steve Buscemi's Carl and William H. Macy's Jerry. Jerry is arguably one of the best examples of a truly pathetic man put to screen. He's so pathetic that you can't help but feel bad for him, but not that bad when you consider all of this problems are directly due to his own conduct.
Famously, Fargo - which does not take place in North Dakota or Fargo - is one of Minnesota's greatest cultural exports. Some may decry the exaggerated, almost caricatured accents and "aww shucks," nature of many of the people involved. I think it's brilliant.
The entire point of the film is to uncover the seedy underbelly behind even the seemingly friendliest people; a dose of Americana that is both sentimental and willing to confront the violence bubbling right underneath. Oh, and winter itself is am omnipresent, almost oppressive character in this film as well. Fargo is undoubtedly one of the best "place" films ever made. (The Coens are from Minnesota, by the way, so it's not like they just made this stuff up)
Yeah, it's a masterpiece, and it's a movie that is pretty much essential viewing for a comprehensive look at American cinema. Without it (and a few other movies), how we think of crime films would be completely different. And honestly, mostly for the worse. You betcha this rocks.
Quirky characters? Check. Criminals completely out of their depth? Check. A strong sense of place? Check. Pitch black comedy and brutal violence? Check and check.
It's almost hard to watch a film like this and think about it objectively. The film's impact and influence is so vast that it ceases to be a movie, but a cultural institution. That being said, it's a really good move in its own right.
I was surprised by how small of a role Frances McDormand's Marge actually has in this movie. She's actually quite marginal to the plot, and it's mostly driven by Steve Buscemi's Carl and William H. Macy's Jerry. Jerry is arguably one of the best examples of a truly pathetic man put to screen. He's so pathetic that you can't help but feel bad for him, but not that bad when you consider all of this problems are directly due to his own conduct.
Famously, Fargo - which does not take place in North Dakota or Fargo - is one of Minnesota's greatest cultural exports. Some may decry the exaggerated, almost caricatured accents and "aww shucks," nature of many of the people involved. I think it's brilliant.
The entire point of the film is to uncover the seedy underbelly behind even the seemingly friendliest people; a dose of Americana that is both sentimental and willing to confront the violence bubbling right underneath. Oh, and winter itself is am omnipresent, almost oppressive character in this film as well. Fargo is undoubtedly one of the best "place" films ever made. (The Coens are from Minnesota, by the way, so it's not like they just made this stuff up)
Yeah, it's a masterpiece, and it's a movie that is pretty much essential viewing for a comprehensive look at American cinema. Without it (and a few other movies), how we think of crime films would be completely different. And honestly, mostly for the worse. You betcha this rocks.
- ryanpersaud-59415
- Nov 30, 2025