Fargo

Well faithful readers (I hope that someone, somewhere has at some point stumbled across this site) as I am somewhat poor I have been unable to see anything at the cinema. So, instead I have decided to review an older film. For no particular reason, other than I watched it the other day, that film shall be Fargo.

Released in 1996, Fargo was directed by Joel and Ethan Coen (though due to DGA rules they were at this point credited as directed by Joel, and produced by Ethan) and starred Frances McDormand (Burn After Reading), William H. Macy (Jurassic Park III), Steve Buscemi (Reservoir Dogs), Peter Stormare (Minority Report) and Harve Presnell.

The plot concerns Jerry Lundergaard (Macy) and his plan to have his wife kidnapped so his wealthy father-in-law (Presnell) will pay thousands of dollars for her release which he can use to repay debts. This is where Carl (Buscemi) and Gaear (Stormare) come in. They are to kidnap her and take her to a lodge without any excitement, with almost everyone emerging as a winner. However, things go badly from the off and when they are pulled over by a local police officer, he is shot by Gaear, who then goes on to murder the occupants of a passing car who witnessed the event. Chief of Police Marge Olmstead-Gunderson (McDormand) investigates the murders and is soon led back to Jerry's car dealership. Meanwhile, Carl demands higher payment from Jerry as a result of these unforeseen events, bringing Jerry even closer to a break down.

This being a Coen brothers film, there are plenty of laughs and bloodshed. Indeed, there is enough blood in the film to make a vampire giddy with excitement. In one particularly memorable scene, one character's corpse is stuffed into a wood chipper. Good stuff!

Fargo is, without any hint of hyperbole, one of the Coen bros. very finest films (which is no mean feat, believe me). With strong performances, from the cast and memorable shots with a beautiful backdrop of snow. While, for some the violence may be somewhat much, for me I feel that the humour and violence work perfectly with each enhancing the others effect. A must see!

★★★★★