Fargo
Director: Joel & Ethan Coen
Written By: Joel & Ethan Coen
Photography: Roger Deakins
Starring: William H. Macy, Frances McDormand and Steve Buscemi.
Year: 1996
Country: USA
Based on a true story, (Or so It says. When a film says 'Based on a true story' or 'Inspired by true events' is isn't as literal as you might think.) Fargo is sixth film from sibling auteurs, Joel and Ethan Coen.
Fargo follows all the same themes and has all the trademarks of a Coen Brothers movie. A cowardly car-dealer, played by William H. Macy is in financial trouble and too afraid to let it known to anybody close to him. He hires two men (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to kidnap and hold at ransom his wife for one million dollars, which the rich father-in-law will cough-up, and the three men will split the money.
But in true Coen Brother fashion, crime is never successful and things result in a triple homicide which brings the Brainerd police force into the mix.
The investigation is led by pregnant police chief Marge Gunderson, played by Frances McDormand, who quite rightly won a best actress Oscar for her career best performance in this role.
The rest of the cast is also superb, especially William H. Macy, who is someone I don't think we see enough of in movies and Peter Stormare who plays the brooding, silent type, similar to Javier Bardem's character in the Coens' No Country For Old Men.
The cinematography is excellent as it always is when it's courtesy of Roger Deakins. Roger Deakins is a fantastic D.P. who does the photography on most of Sam Mendes's and the Coen Brothers' movies. He's the first D.P whose name I went out my way to learn (Other than Caleb Deschanel, thought that was more to do with him having a really attractive daughter)
The Coen Brothers are know to repeat themselves with themes, with time-periods and with actors. But in Frago there are actual recreations of scenes in their previous movies. For example when Steve Buscemi's character is trying to drag a corpse of the road at night and he sees car headlights coming towards them. The exact same thing in there first film, Blood Simple. Albeit with different conclusions.
Fargo has Coen DNA all over it, which is why I'm so cynical about the true story disclaimer at the beginging. Some scenes I know for sure, like the scene with the woodchipper, are quintessential Coen Brothers inventions.
Fargo won two Oscars, Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay. It was nominated for another five, including Best Cinematography, Best Director and Best Picture. In my opinion it was overlooked for costume design, but then I'm a sucker for anything that includes a big Blade Runner style coat.
Fargo is one of the finest movies in the Coens' filmography and is a dark comment ofn the effects and the true futility of money.
Score: 4.5/5
Fargo follows all the same themes and has all the trademarks of a Coen Brothers movie. A cowardly car-dealer, played by William H. Macy is in financial trouble and too afraid to let it known to anybody close to him. He hires two men (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to kidnap and hold at ransom his wife for one million dollars, which the rich father-in-law will cough-up, and the three men will split the money.
But in true Coen Brother fashion, crime is never successful and things result in a triple homicide which brings the Brainerd police force into the mix.
The investigation is led by pregnant police chief Marge Gunderson, played by Frances McDormand, who quite rightly won a best actress Oscar for her career best performance in this role.
The rest of the cast is also superb, especially William H. Macy, who is someone I don't think we see enough of in movies and Peter Stormare who plays the brooding, silent type, similar to Javier Bardem's character in the Coens' No Country For Old Men.
The cinematography is excellent as it always is when it's courtesy of Roger Deakins. Roger Deakins is a fantastic D.P. who does the photography on most of Sam Mendes's and the Coen Brothers' movies. He's the first D.P whose name I went out my way to learn (Other than Caleb Deschanel, thought that was more to do with him having a really attractive daughter)
The Coen Brothers are know to repeat themselves with themes, with time-periods and with actors. But in Frago there are actual recreations of scenes in their previous movies. For example when Steve Buscemi's character is trying to drag a corpse of the road at night and he sees car headlights coming towards them. The exact same thing in there first film, Blood Simple. Albeit with different conclusions.
Fargo has Coen DNA all over it, which is why I'm so cynical about the true story disclaimer at the beginging. Some scenes I know for sure, like the scene with the woodchipper, are quintessential Coen Brothers inventions.
Fargo won two Oscars, Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay. It was nominated for another five, including Best Cinematography, Best Director and Best Picture. In my opinion it was overlooked for costume design, but then I'm a sucker for anything that includes a big Blade Runner style coat.
Fargo is one of the finest movies in the Coens' filmography and is a dark comment ofn the effects and the true futility of money.
Score: 4.5/5
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