Fargo (1996 Film)

I've been following the TV series based on the film, and I finally got around to checking the movie itself out.

I instantly get the appeal. It's basically a stupid person hiring stupid criminals to completely botch a stupid, yet seemingly simple crime. And everybody in the movie has funny accents. I don't think this film would make the exact impact it did at the time today, but I am well aware that in 1996 movies like this were unusual.

Frances McDormand is pretty great as Marge Gunderson. And yet, I don't feel like her performance deserved an Oscar. But I get why she got one. Marge is a capable, smart woman and few film projects in 1996 starred women playing those kinds of characters. But the fact that her performance is solid instead of as electrifying as an Oscar winner should be shows that as far as the Oscars go, winners are really all down to politics rather than merit. The Oscars approved of the kind of character McDormand played. So she got a Best Actress Oscar for a performance of the caliber Alison Tolman also gave on the TV show every week (with very little fanfare I might add). I understand it even if I don't think she was the right winner.

The subplot with the pathetic dude who had the crush on Marge didn't go anywhere, and made me cringe the entire time. I'm knocking a half star off the final grade because of it. Has anyone knocked that aspect of the film yet? It's not like Marge didn't handle the creep right, but it's still unpleasant to watch.

It's fun to watch Gunderson work, although I would have appreciated it more if she were the one to actually arrest William H. Macy. What's great is that she seems to have suspected his character the entire time, and as stupid as he is, I think he knew it. I hated him too. It was fun seeing Marge make him squirm.

This was a long time coming for me to watch, and I enjoyed it. ****1/2.