FARGO

Often, I find myself finishing a movie and requiring a few hours, or even days, to really determine my opinions on it. I guess you could say that for a lot of films, I need time to let them sink in. Ethan and Joel Coen's "Fargo" was not one of those films. My first viewing of this picture came on a laptop, sitting in the basement of my college library. I wouldn't say I went into it with any major expectations, but it was a rare film which made me close my computer and immediately say to myself, "that was damn good".

Not much can be said that hasn't been said before about the Coen brothers' abilities to tell stories. "Fargo" is written in such a way that irony, eccentric humor, and slightly off-beat characters almost let the viewer forget that the underlying story is rather disturbing. William H. Macy plays desperate salesman Jerry Lundegaard, who plans to put his own wife's life at risk in order to obtain a large sum of ransom money from his rich father-in-law. Macy handles the character of Lundergaard perfectly, delivering every line with the perfect amount of scatter-brained uncertainty, down to the last stutter. Additionally, how many actors are better at than Steve Buscemi in a cynical, underground criminal role? The list is short. The filmmakers have stated that the role of kidnapper Carl Showalter was written with Buscemi in mind the whole time, which was a spot-on choice. Peter Stormare rounds out the films duo of misfits, playing Gaear Grimsrud, who is the embodiment of the phrase "silent, but deadly".

As strong as the film's supporting performances are, Frances McDormand makes this movie. Her Academy Award winning performance as friendly police chief Marge Gunderson brings this brilliantly scripted character to life. Gunderson is a darling balance of innocence, pride, intelligence and determination. The moment McDormand first appears on screen, the focus of the film shifts from Jerry Lundegaard to the awesomely loveable Marge Gunderson, which of course, is by design.

Predictably, Lundegaard's dysfunctional scheme to have his wife safely captured falls apart quickly, and the juxtaposition of Macy and McDormand's characters is vital to the outcome of the film. Marge Gunderson is ethical and honest; she is kind to her coworkers, supportive of her husband, and deliberate in going about her work the right way. These traits ultimately help to establish Lundegaard as pathetic and destructive to himself and his family. When last we see them in the film, Lundegaard is being dragged away from a lonely motel room by police, while Gunderson comfortably enjoys her husbands company in her home. The character of Marge Gunderson provides a valuable statement about humility and the separation of work from the most important aspects of life.

A review of this picture cannot be complete without some discussion of how technically sound and well directed it is. Nearly the entire film takes place on a lonely and snowy landscape, on dark overcast days, reflecting the lack of substance and dreary existence of characters like Lundegaard, Showalter and Grimsrud. As far as camera work, one of my personal favorite shots in "Fargo" sees Jerry discussing illegitimate business over the phone, as the blinds of his office window brilliantly provide the audience with an inkling of the character's eventual fate.

"No Country for Old Men" has its undeniable moments, but this is the film which best represents the talents of Ethan and Jeol Coen. "Fargo" is a remarkable combination of quirky storytelling and genius filmmaking, and for my money, it is underrepresented in conversations about the smartest movies ever brought to screen.

RATING: 9.2/10