Fargo
(1996)
"People often categorize our films as comedies
whereas we don't really see them that way. But I guess
we do see humor in situations where humor is very often
not present, traditionally murder stories or thrillers.
I guess it's that combination. But they're not comedies
per se." - Joel Coen
Filmmaking brothers Joel and Ethan Coen often delight
us with offbeat situations and quirky characters. Even
their most serious films, like "Barton Fink" and "Miller's
Crossing" have elements of humor in them. But here the
duo take a giant misstep by going way too far. Their
"Fargo" is a goofy rose-colored world that hides a darker,
more insidious plane. As in David Lynch's "Blue Velvet,"
we see a seedy underside to the world here; But in the
Coen's film, the outer world is so silly and so bouncy,
it's just as insufferable than the darker side.
The plot of the film revolves around the Made-for-TV
premise about a man (William H. Macy of "Mr. Holland's
Opus") plotting to have his wife kidnapped. She has
a wealthy father and he holds the purse-strings in this
pitiful little man's existence. Macy is frustrated in
his work place, also owned by the father, and in his
investment ideas, which the father pushes him out of.
His scheme involves two odd kidnappers of whom Steve
Buscemi ("Ed and his Dead Mother") is the most verbal
and most recognizable. In the meanwhile, a pregnant,
female, chief of police (Frances McDormand, Joel Coen's
real- life wife) gets involved in an investigation related
to the kidnapping and she too begins to play a role
in the plot.
The film goes all over the place from comedy to horror
to drama. It revolves around so many subplots and characters
that it surprising how well the Coens hold everything
together. The kidnapping plot is so typical and so dull
that we really have no interest in it, even with Macy
and Buscemi delightful actors. The subplot involving
Macy and his father- in-law's business plans is also
typical and trite at best. Thankfully, McDormand is
the glue that holds all of this typicality together
and her character's uniqueness makes it more endurable.
As a female chief of police, she would be interesting
enough but the Coens add pregnancy to her plot-line
as well as a bringing us a look into her married life,
to make the situation even more interesting. Another
subplot involves McDormand's reunion with an old high
school chum. Here the Coen's show us exactly how gullible
McDormand (as well as we) are. This little sidestep
makes McDormand's police chief even more interesting
because we see that, while she can size up a crime scene
and deduce a scenario within a moment, she can be as
easily duped as anyone else.
Like the other characters in the film, McDormand's
is required to be as quirky as possible. All the character's
in the film, with the exception of the bad guys, talk
with a ridiculous Scandinavian/American accent. Y'know,
like they are all descendants of Swedish immigrants
(just like Betty White's Rose Nylin in "Golden Girls).
They all have names like Gustavson and Helgenburg. Since
the film is set in this Northern area of America, it
all makes perfect sense, except that the Coens insist
that everybody ham up this aspect of their character
to absurd proportions. It all becomes quite silly. McDormand
is sweet so we like her despite this. Macy speaks in
such a spacey, nervous way in addition to this that
it makes him seem a little different too, and therefore
almost tolerable. But Macy's wife is so exaggerated,
and worse yet she sounds so much like Edie McClurgh
on helium, that we are glad to see her disappear midway
through the film.
"Fargo" tries to mix drama and comedy and this is
it's biggest flaw. Some of the comic moments are quite
hilarious but we begin to feel ashamed that we've laughed
at the film when we experience some of the dramatic
scenes. The kidnapping scene is quite disquieting and
it is quickly followed by a despicable scene where Buscemi
allows the gagged, bound and blindfolded victim to stumble
about in the snow outside the hideout while he laughs
hysterically at the pathetic sight. This scene is the
first of many that will turn us off to the film. For
example, Buscemi eventually gets shot in the face and
we are forced to watch him hold his cheek together through
what remains of the plot. Later, a body is shown being
run through a wood chipper for apparent laughs and it's
just not funny at all. The Coen's sense of humor looks
sick and distasteful throughout most of this film.
It's hard to imagine what the Coens hoped to accomplish
with "Fargo." It is not in the style of their most recent
outings, "Barton Fink" and "Hudsucker Proxy." This film
wants to be another "Raising Arizona," but it's nowhere
as accessible or as hilarious as that film. It's much
too uneasy to be that likable. "Fargo" apparently owes
a lot to the Coen's first film, "Blood Simple," which
I have not seen yet. I've heard this film described
as "Blood Simple" without all the film noir. Whatever
the case may be, the Coens do not create a good film
here. It's much too harsh to be humorous and much too
exaggerated to be taken seriously. The film is a mishmash
of ideas, plots and characters.
"Fargo" is by far the worst film the Coens have ever
done and yet, it's still not a horrible film. There
are a lot of things to like here; in particular, I think
it will serve to widen the interest in Macy and McDormand's
careers and this is a tremendously good thing. Maybe,
one day, this will be remembered as the film that introduced
their talents to a wide audience. If "Fargo" accomplishes
this, it will be well worth the effort. As for the Coens,
one misstep in a career filled with excellent films
isn't going to hurt them one bit.
Notes: Also with Swedish actor/director Peter Stormare
as Buscemi's partner and Broadway actor Harve Presnell
as the father-in-law.
Director of Photography is Roger A. Deakins. Music
by Carter Burwell.
The Coens hail from Minnesota where much of the film
takes place. A title card claims this is a true story
at the beginning of the film but that is simply not
true.
Jose Feliciano has a cameo appearing in concert in
a brief segment in the film.
In an apparent joke, one of the small characters in
the film, who has no lines, has his name credited as
(the-artist-formerly-known-as) Prince's symbol on it's
side. Prince is also from Minnesota.
McDormand also appeared in her husband's "Blood Simple."
Review written in 1996
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