Fargo

Directed by Joel Coen, Fargo details the violence and chaos that ensues after a struggling car salesman (William H. Macy’s Jerry Lundegaard) hires two criminals (Steve Buscemi’s Carl and Peter Stormare’s Gaear) to kidnap his wife and hold her for ransom – with the scheme eventually investigated by a sweet yet tenacious cop named Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand). There’s generally never a point at which Fargo doesn’t manage to hold the viewer in complete and total thrall, as Coen, working from a screenplay written with Ethan Coen, does a superb job of establishing an exceedingly specific time and place and enhancing it with a selection of uniformly captivating characters – with this vibe undoubtedly heightened by the efforts of a top-to-bottom assortment of stellar performances. (McDormand and Macy’s captivating work as the picture’s ostensible main characters is perpetuated by an eclectic supporting cast that includes Harve Presnell, John Carroll Lynch, and Larry Brandenburg.) It’s clear, as well, that the picture benefits substantially from a twists-and-turns-laden screenplay that consistently (and effectively) confounds the viewer’s expectations, while the inclusion of seemingly random elements (eg Marge’s encounter with an old college friend) are eventually paid off in as satisfying and compelling a manner as one could envision. The note-perfect finale only cements Fargo‘s place as a top-tier effort from the Coen brothers, and it does seem, ultimately, that the famed filmmakers are unlikely to ever top its impressive highs.

**** out of ****