Fargo (1996)
In the town
of Fargo, North Dakota, not much happens. It’s the part of America most don’t
think about and only a few pass through. For those who live there, they fight
long, harsh winters, and try to find ways to pass the time. It’s this way of
life that makes its residents simple folk, who don’t ask for a lot from life or
see much in the way of talking about. Until a man desperate for cash, decides
to arrange his wife’s kidnapping. Hoping her father will pay the ransom money,
he will give the kidnappers half the money, and keep the rest for himself. But the
whole ordeal goes pear shaped. As some innocent bystanders get caught in the
crossfire, it’s up to local police chief Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand) to
solve the case, while she also deals with being heavily pregnant.
The first
of two Coen Brothers films to be explored in this series of reviews (The Big
Lebowski follows), it’s hard to pinpoint where filmmaking siblings Joel and
Ethan get their original, odd and offbeat ideas. Fargo is no exception. Maybe they
felt a kinship for the barren fields of the most northern states of America’s Mid-West,
and they certainly play with this neck of the woods to their delight. The spot-on
accents of local Minnesotans who live on the border of Canada takes some
getting used to for those not familiar with that unique accent, but it serves
the story well, with their regular “Yah’s” and “You Betcha’s” woven into the dialogue
so seamlessly, it helps cut the tension in some otherwise morbid and dark
moments.
Fargo was one of the early pioneers of arthouse cinema taking on the mainstream giants of the 90’s. It proved The Coen Brothers were a force to be reckoned with. They give no explanation for their choice of stories to film, but rather like to explore a place and its people under a microscope to show you their true colours, with no apologies or restraints. You will see the best of people and the worse of people in the film, as they navigate the blistering cold and never-ending snow of winters peak, and try to make sense of their own set of predicaments. This formula worked a treat, as it would go on to the signature style of The Coen Brothers filmmaking for the rest of the 90’s and early 00’s, before they took a darker turn in 2007 with “No Country for Old Men”.
Fargo is a
movie buffs dream, as there is so much going on and ironically, so little
happening at the same time. The opening shot of the film speaks volumes, even
if it is just a car towing another car down a desolate highway, covered in snow
and ice. It’s the unforgettable score
that sets the scene and the tone for the rest of the film; there is a sense of
dread, foreboding and darkness in the first few minutes, and this is explored
in comedic ways for the rest of the film. It’s only towards the end where
things slow down and we are reminded of the dark side of human nature, but we
don’t necessarily get any answers. You are simply left just feeling a range of emotions
by the impact of the film. This comes from several stand out scenes – both unusually funny and viscerally violent – and the central message of the story; “Why do
people do the things they do? Often, they have no explanation and no one can
explain it, not even the person who does those things”
The film was a hit in it’s time, and a darling of the 1996/1997 film awards season. Frances McDormand nabbed the Oscar for Best Actress in a leading role for her strong work as Marge. She acquits herself perfectly amongst a stellar cast that also includes William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi, who are both also very good. Although each character comes from a world of their own, their commonality is their bumbling movements through life. Most of them don’t really know what they’re doing, and don’t seem to think ahead to the consequences of their own actions. This is what will expose each character for who they really are, and ultimately be the cause of their downfall.
The only
exception is the character of Marge who, although simple in her own way, is a slight
cut above the rest. Afterall, it takes a strong woman to be heavily pregnant and
solving a murder mystery in the bleakest of winters in the most desolate of
places, and still have a smile on her face by the end of it all. It goes to
show that those who accept who they are, embrace where they come from and roll
with it, always come out someplace good. Those who try to reinvent the rules in
a place with heavy limits bestowed upon them, are the ones who end up losing
more than just their pride.
But you won’t lose anything by watching Fargo. There is so much to gain from this viewing experience, and if you can be patient through it’s slow build in the first thirty minutes or so, you will be rewarded with one stand-out scene after another. All expertly acted and tightly written, that will galvanize you throughout, then leave you out in the cold at the end, unsure how to think or what to feel.
Not many movies can achieve that so seamlessly, so take a journey to Fargo, and see movies in a whole new light from then on.
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