Review Tuesday: FARGO (1996)

 

FARGO

When a man in dire financial troubles hatches an ill-conceived scheme everything goes wrong.

This darling from 1996 from the Coen Brother, FARGO, was the sweetheart of critics and even listed as one of the Top 30 Most Important Films. Supposedly based on a true story, despite no one knowing of any such events in those areas, this film comes off as a slice out of the somewhat ordinary life of the local Police Chief, Marge Gunderson played by Frances McDormand. 

Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) has put himself into a serious financial bind and devises what he believes would be a sneaky way to bail himself out. He hires two villainous underworld types (Steve Buscemi & Peter Stormare) to kidnap his wife in exchange for $40,000 and a new car. Jerry plans to tell his rich father in-law that the kidnappers want $1 million for her safe return and NO COPS. Easy Peazy! Pay the criminals their $40k, get his wife back, and he has over $900k to pay off his debts. 

 

Of course things go sideways during the kidnapping and that;s when things really get interesting. Kinda.

 

This movie was surprisingly short for a that the awards shows loved humping its leg. For us, it seemed mediocre at best. None of the characters were particularly interesting or even likable despite the great cast. The entire location and that blasted accent just sucked the life out of the scenes and US, the viewer. Honestly, it struck me as a made for TV movie but with a load of extreme violence. 

 

I guess I just didn't get it, nor how it's been rolled into a successful television series (which I have no intention of seeing). It just kept my interest enough to NOT fall asleep, something I cannot say for my wife. 

 

It's on AMAZON

IMDB