Featured Audience Ratings

• shahmeer h

  
  When I first heard of Fargo, I thought from all these reviews that it was a comedy. When I read the genre, it told me it was a crime-thriller. And before I watched it on Epix, I learned it was a dark comedy. Then I thought I was gonna hate this movie, for the film "A Serious… More
  When I first heard of Fargo, I thought from all these reviews that it was a comedy. When I read the genre, it told me it was a crime-thriller. And before I watched it on Epix, I learned it was a dark comedy. Then I thought I was gonna hate this movie, for the film "A Serious Man" was a dark-comedy and was also directed by the Coen brothers, was a complete and utter failure to me. But I soon came to realize something during the film; this movie is amazing. It started as a comedy, in which the laughs were very dark and enjoyable, then grew into a problematic drama, which grew into a crime film, and then quickly into a thriller. All the genres that I expected were in the film, but never was my first thought about it. Fargo is a film that surprised me completely. Winning two academy awards (Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay), Fargo is an exciting adventure to watch. Based in small cities of Minnesota, Fargo is about a car salesman who tries to buy an investment on a parking lot. He needs money, so he decides to hire two thugs to kidnap his wife and ask for ransom from her father (who is extremely wealthy) so he can get the money to invest. But not all goes as planned, and murder, lying, robbery, and much more occur in the events that happen afterwards. Joel and Ethan always seem to make me happy (besides "A Serious Man"), and not many directors can do that. The Acting was very well done, and I disagree with the Academy at not giving William H. Macy a nomination for Best Lead Actor, let alone not giving him a win for Best Supporting Actor. I believe his acting was better than Francis McDormand's, although she did deserve her win. Steve Beschumi also played his part as a villain well, as he always does. The Cinematography of this film was good. But I am also upset with the Academy for not giving this film a nomination for the score, which was excellent. It was perfect for the film, and fit the scenes well. If I heard this score again, I'd know it was from Fargo. The film really revolves around the characters alot in the film, and I give much respect for the film. The different character's lives and feelings were depicted in a very different way, with scenes that just brought happiness, terror, or humor to the eyes of the character's, and the audiences. But, there were little parts in the film that I didn't like, starting with some unnecessary scenes. There were amounts of sex in the film which didn't need to be there, and some scenes that didn't make any sense. And then there was the fact that the police officer was pregnant, which brought a few laughs to the film, but no actual meaning to the plot. That's really all. All in all, this was a film that should be viewed by any happy, mature audience, and should be praised highly by any open-minded movie goer. If you still didnt't understand why i gave this film the rating it got, please visit the link below: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/user/935623/blogs/?id=703501

• Sophie B

  
  Very well written film full of twists and bleak events that strangely force you to look at your own life and situations in a new and enlightening way. Boasting a fantastic cast, it's impossible not to get involved in this believable and realistic film. The only problem maybe it… More
  Very well written film full of twists and bleak events that strangely force you to look at your own life and situations in a new and enlightening way. Boasting a fantastic cast, it's impossible not to get involved in this believable and realistic film. The only problem maybe it that it's a bit too realistic, containing several slow and boring parts.

• KJ P

  
  Slow moving, yet well-paced and holding an interesting premise, "Fargo" is not particularly one of my favourite Coen Brothers movies, but it presents a the murderous true story so well. The acting is very quirky and funny, while still being dark and serious, which is a tone… More
  Slow moving, yet well-paced and holding an interesting premise, "Fargo" is not particularly one of my favourite Coen Brothers movies, but it presents a the murderous true story so well. The acting is very quirky and funny, while still being dark and serious, which is a tone that is very off-beat and enjoyable. I loved watching this film, and there are many classic film elements present, but I wish it could have gone a little further in terms of it's style. It felt like it had a brilliant atmosphere that was not explored quite enough. All-in-all, "Fargo" is great!

• Matthew Samuel M

  
  It's not as enjoyable as one would hope. In the end it's a drab film featuring an appealing turn from McDormand yet a plot that delivers little to the audience nor that is really that well crafted.

• Graham J

  
  The Coen's combination of humor and violence have never been executed so well. McDormand is especially great.

• Alexander D

  
  Never before had it thumped against my mind that a comedy could be so seamlessly threaded through a thriller. In fact, I have somewhat dismissed the idea of a hybrid comedy-thriller. Now I'm convinced there is such a blended genre; it's just either uncommon or I have not… More
  Never before had it thumped against my mind that a comedy could be so seamlessly threaded through a thriller. In fact, I have somewhat dismissed the idea of a hybrid comedy-thriller. Now I'm convinced there is such a blended genre; it's just either uncommon or I have not seen many films that represent the melding so singularly. Brothers Joel and Ethan Coen wrote the story as a thriller. It's a complex, dark, violent twist on a murder tale (and, later, a bit of an embezzlement tale). Add humor in when the story is transliterated and expanded into an entire screenplay, and we have a gruesomely funny black comedy. FARGO was a very entertaining film. All I'd heard about it was that it was a classic, which I found implausible after learning about how loopy the presentation was. Let's just hearing a description of a film and what it's like, is nothing like seeing it for yourself. The film bleeds class from a heart that beats at an abnormal pace. yah...read the rest at themoviefreakblog.com

• Directors C

  
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] It's amazing how a thriller as tightly constructed as Fargo can be uproaringly funny and make you laugh at the same exact moment. It's arguably the Coen Brother's darkest pitch-black comedy to… More
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] It's amazing how a thriller as tightly constructed as Fargo can be uproaringly funny and make you laugh at the same exact moment. It's arguably the Coen Brother's darkest pitch-black comedy to date. The shadowy but strangely light hearted tone we've come to expect from them is consitstent through out the film and in my opinion is passed on to their later film "No Country For Old Men". It's one of the edgier and more narratively solid Coen movies, as comparatively in the legendary strand of their career they've made quirky, alternative comedies that are low on plot but honestly big on laughs and witty yet zany humour. The performances are terrific, Frances McDormand, William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi are perfectly cast and perform with energy. The beautiful way in which it is filmed really involves you in the bitter environments, this is the original evidential example that show the Coen Brother's really know how to direct when it comes to capturing landscapes. The detailed dialogue and accents are also what really stood out for me because it isn't either modernised or changed for universal understanding. Which proves the film has been produced down to the exact detail with care and warmth, and crafted on it's own terms.

• Sanjay R

  
  This is a film with a really interesting story, and good performances by Macy, Buscemi and McDormand. This isn't the Coen brothers best work, but it is a solid movie nonetheless. The Coen brothers, however, seem to have trouble ending their movies, and this one is no exception.

• Albert K

  
  Fargo is absolutely incredible. Every scene is captured with so many layers and layers of emotion and wit. A must watch.

• Jens S

  
  The most absurd and crazy stories are still written by life itself. This is based on a real crime happening in Minnesota in the 1980s. Of course the Coen brothers find the right tone to tell this tale of greed, stupidity and violence. Sometimes you're not sure whether you're… More
  The most absurd and crazy stories are still written by life itself. This is based on a real crime happening in Minnesota in the 1980s. Of course the Coen brothers find the right tone to tell this tale of greed, stupidity and violence. Sometimes you're not sure whether you're supposed to laugh or shake your head and end up doing both. The cast is excellent, especially William H. Macy as a man who is in way over his head and Frances McDormand as pregnant police woman, who's a lot smarter than she seems and gives the not very flattering portrayal of the local people a lovable face. As things get more and more dire, she is the beacon of common sense and humanity in midst of a circle of crime that goes further and further down the spiral. McDorman deserved her Oscar for that, just like the brilliant, funny, realistic and gloomy script. Probably the best Coens film of the 90s.

• Candy R

  
  A pregnant cop investigates a series of murders when a kidnapping goes horribly wrong. Violent dark comedy. Good cast. Despite the opening intro, this is not a true story.

• Eric A

  
  Crazy, but my lord is it entertaining. One of the best film's of the 90's.

• Unknown H

  
  Again the Coen Bros do what they do best and deliver a deliciously dark black comedy. Frances McDormand has to be one of my favourite actress' and does not fail to deliver in Fargo, which is one of my faves from the Bros.

• Liam G

  
  The way Fargo's plot unravels is executed masterfully by the Coen brothers. Terrific dialogue, characters and performances feature in this fantastic crime dramaedy of sorts.

• AJ V

  
  This cult classic is an hilarious black comedy full of action, suspense, and drama. I loved it, and I highly recommend it.

• Conner R

  
  Sometimes, a lot of the time actually, I seem to forget how good of a movie Fargo truly is. I think a lot of movies that are deemed "Cult Classics" tend to warrant high expectations. When I first saw Fargo, I didn't really know what it was that made people so nuts over… More
  Sometimes, a lot of the time actually, I seem to forget how good of a movie Fargo truly is. I think a lot of movies that are deemed "Cult Classics" tend to warrant high expectations. When I first saw Fargo, I didn't really know what it was that made people so nuts over it. I think a lot of what makes Fargo great is when you aren't expecting something from it. It works a lot better as just a movie, not one with a ton of baggage. Much like The Usual Suspects, it was one of the most over-exposed movies of the 90s. Both movies have suffered over the years for being just too popular for their own good and for the wrong reasons a lot of the time. Now, I think enough time has passed that everyone can sit down and watch Fargo how it was meant to be seen. Fargo essentially meshes crime, comedy, and drama all into one and makes a really unique effect with it. Most of the performances here are what makes it a comedy, the plot makes it indefinitely crime and the music sets a bizarre dramatic feeling that you don't see coming. William H. Macy, Frances McDormand and the rest of the Minnesota based characters are all over-played caricatures, earning them really funny moments where there might not otherwise be any. Those accents are completely ridiculous, but somehow it just fits into the whole nutball series of events. The plot is really interesting in that the movie zigzags around it rather than the other way around. Instead of introducing us to all the principle characters first, it takes us almost forty minutes to get around to our principle character. I think that takes away any sort of predictability away from the story; what happens, happens. The Coen Brothers definitely take a very interesting approach to the music in this, it just really has an amazing effect on setting the mood and bring emotional weight to what is happening. Now this, like all of the Coen Brother's movies, is extremely well shot and put together flawlessly. They are extremely talented writers/directors that seem to just get movies in a way that not many others do. You can tell they know film history like the backs of their hands and have the up most respect for the process. You can see how much time and effort is put into each of their movies and this is one of the prime examples of it. Everything you feel is meant to be felt and that is a kind of control that is hard to achieve.

• Steven C

  
  The Coen Brothers' comedies (and this is very much one of their comedies) always seem a bit insignificant in comparison to their dramas (like "No Country for Old Men" and "A Serious Man"). This is because they are concerned with the stupidity of people and… More
  The Coen Brothers' comedies (and this is very much one of their comedies) always seem a bit insignificant in comparison to their dramas (like "No Country for Old Men" and "A Serious Man"). This is because they are concerned with the stupidity of people and there is only so much one can do with that topic. "Burn After Reading" and "Intolerable Cruelty" are so fluffy that they could essentially evaporate in front of you. What saves "Fargo" from this fate is that it plays around, quite nicely, with expectation in truth and lie. That pesky "based on a true story' title card certainly mixes things up. "Fargo" also works as well as it does because of Frances McDormand, William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi's performances. They always remain real, pointed and hilarious. "Fargo" is a neat little movie that is full of wit and some interesting existential dilemmas.

• Melvin W

  
  Fargo is one of the Coens best movies. It is nearly flawless in the way it presents its story. Everyones heard about Frances McDormands Oscar winning performance and I think that overshadows the great performance by William H. Macy. His performance as Jerry Lundegaard is easily his… More
  Fargo is one of the Coens best movies. It is nearly flawless in the way it presents its story. Everyones heard about Frances McDormands Oscar winning performance and I think that overshadows the great performance by William H. Macy. His performance as Jerry Lundegaard is easily his best. The movie is a complete masterpiece on very conceivable level.

• Thomas B

  
  absofreakinglutely genius. fargo is one of my favourite films. with an explosive combination of action, comedy, gore, sex and suspense, joel and ethan coen have made a masterful film.

• Kase V

  
  A film that really has to be seen a few times to be greatly appreciated. Coen Brothers work their finest, and this might be, if not is, their best film (critically). But I enjoyed No Country for Old Men far more. It was much more entertaining in my opinion. Great writing, superb… More
  A film that really has to be seen a few times to be greatly appreciated. Coen Brothers work their finest, and this might be, if not is, their best film (critically). But I enjoyed No Country for Old Men far more. It was much more entertaining in my opinion. Great writing, superb acting, and direction that's second to none. But it sacrifices it's ability to captivate me throughout the entire movie, save for a few scenes (woodchipper, anyone?). If there was an option, I'd give it in between a 4 and 4.5.

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