Movie-A-Day #43: Fargo

FischerKing

Beer me a post...
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Posts
9,238
Reaction score
4
Location
Scranton, PA
Synopis provided by your friendly Rotten Tomatoe webiste - thanks fellas! :)

SYNOPSIS

Poor Jerry Lundegaard. He's deep in debt. His wealthy father-in-law has no respect for him. He cheats customers at the car dealership where he works. And now he's hired a bumbling duo to kidnap his wife--a plan that goes horribly awry, leading to homicide.

Enter Marge Gunderson, one of the most fabulous movie cops in film history. The very-pregnant Marge--played marvelously by Frances McDormand in an Oscar-winning and career-defining performance--just goes about her everyday business, eating (in nearly every scene), talking to the people in the community, and examining bloody corpses as if no day is different from the next. A multiple murder in the small town of Brainerd, Minnesota--home of Paul Bunyan, as the sign claims--seems to have little effect on her. Yet she has an innate cop sense--she is very, very good at her job and determined to solve the case in her offhanded manner.

FARGO is yet another offbeat, highly entertaining film from the Coen brothers (BARTON FINK, BLOOD SIMPLE). The film is nearly colorless; instead, director of photography Roger Deakins washes the screen in the blinding white of the snow, occasionally breaking for the drab grays and browns of police uniforms and winter jackets. Carter Burwell's score further enhances the slow, steady pace of this oddly funny and compelling film. The Coens have once again populated their film with a slew of bizarre characters, with outstanding performances delivered by all, particularly the edgy William H. Macy, the quietly luminous McDormand, the nearly psychotic Steve Buscemi, and the oh-so-cold Peter Stormare.

*** End Synopsis

Another one of my favorites. I really enjoyed everthing about this movie - from the acting to the filming to the screenplay. I'm a huge fan of dark comedies and the darker the better. As far as I'm concerned - this ranks at the top of that list. Probably one of the Coen Bros. finest films. Great casting, great story.

Shawn
 

Mike Olbinski

Formerly Chandler Mike
Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
16,396
Reaction score
13
Location
Phoenix, AZ
I love it, how could you not? William H. Macy, Buscemi, etc. What an awesome cast, great plot, great acting...and the dark humor was superb.

One of my favs for sure.

Mike
 

Brian in Mesa

Advocatus Diaboli
Super Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
74,114
Reaction score
26,608
Location
Killjoy Central
Awesome movie, awesome cast. What I love is how the people of the area are portrayed. If you've ever been there, you've met people like the ones in the film. :D
 

Chaplin

Better off silent
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
46,653
Reaction score
17,304
Location
Round Rock, TX
I must say, I didn't like the movie when I first saw it. But after awhile it grew on me, and now I love it. Mostly for the little idiosyncracies of the movie really--like the relationships, the dialogue. Just terrific stuff.
 

schutd

ASFN Addict
Joined
Oct 15, 2002
Posts
6,260
Reaction score
2,221
Location
Charleston, SC
Originally posted by Brian in Mesa
Awesome movie, awesome cast. What I love is how the people of the area are portrayed. If you've ever been there, you've met people like the ones in the film. :D


Kind of like Raising Arizona, huh?
 

MadCardDisease

Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
20,977
Reaction score
15,219
Location
Chandler, Az
Originally posted by Chaplin
I must say, I didn't like the movie when I first saw it. But after awhile it grew on me, and now I love it. Mostly for the little idiosyncracies of the movie really--like the relationships, the dialogue. Just terrific stuff.

I must say I never grew to like this one. Maybe it was because I couldn't get past the annoying accents. Although I did like Buscemi in it.
 

mdamien13

Go Cardinals! Yay!!!
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
1,297
Reaction score
1
Location
Gilbert, AZ. / Burbank CA.
Originally posted by Chaplin
I must say, I didn't like the movie when I first saw it.

That's where I'm at. I've only seen it once and I really didn't care for it but I know that it deserves another look. Maybe if I wasn't so busy filling myself with crap like House of the Dead I could give it another chance.
 

Cheesebeef

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2003
Posts
92,844
Reaction score
71,935
"I always liked you Margie. I always liked you so much! . . . I'm so lonely" - Mike

Absolutely one of the most classic uncomfortable hialrious scenes ever. Margie and her high school friend Mike at the Radisson - every time I see the scene I am dying laughing.

Their thrid best film behind Raising Arizona and Barton Fink - but a classic nonetheless.
 

Stout

Hold onto the ball, Murray!
Joined
Dec 30, 2002
Posts
40,700
Reaction score
25,546
Location
Pittsburgh, PA--Enemy territory!
I couldn't even watch the whole thing...they dwelled on the fact that everyone said, 'oh yah'...'yah!' soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much, I wanted to kick over the TV. Waste of time, IMO. I might make myself watch it once to see what all the hubub is about, but the stupid 'oh yah?' stuff is enough to drive one batty.
 

Dback Jon

Doing it My Way
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
84,181
Reaction score
44,469
Location
South Scottsdale
Finally watched this last night - enjoyed it a lot.

And yes, after going to Minnesota this past Winter, there are a lot of people like that up there!
 

Shane

My time of year!
Super Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
70,277
Reaction score
41,800
Location
Las Vegas
Well I finally took the plunge and saw this last night.

I really liked it. Very funny and great acting all the way around. I must admit I get squeamish when I see a cop get killed though. Dont care for it to much. But like I said overall just a damn good movie.

Those of you that loved this really need to see No Country For Old Men.
 

abomb

Registered User
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
Posts
21,836
Reaction score
1
Good movie dontchaknow.
 

Shane

My time of year!
Super Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
70,277
Reaction score
41,800
Location
Las Vegas
I forgot to ask does anyone know why they named this movie Fargo? the only thing in the entire flipping movie that happens in Fargo is the meet where Macy hires the two goons and drops off the new car.

Everything else the murders, the investigation, the police who handled it, where they lived, were all somewhere other than Fargo???
 

Mulli

...
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2004
Posts
52,529
Reaction score
4,607
Location
Generational
I forgot to ask does anyone know why they named this movie Fargo? the only thing in the entire flipping movie that happens in Fargo is the meet where Macy hires the two goons and drops off the new car.

Everything else the murders, the investigation, the police who handled it, where they lived, were all somewhere other than Fargo???
Fargo is better than their second choice, Wood Chipper.

:)
 

DeAnna

Just A Face in The Crowd
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Posts
7,286
Reaction score
773
Location
Goodyear, AZ
I finally got around to seeing this movie on tv recently. I really liked it! Frances McDermond was great; made me laugh that she was eating in almost every scene.

Oh, and I found out it's not really a true story :sad:
 
Top