Fargo (1996)

It sure would be nice to travel to the tranquil town of Fargo, N.D., to take in the serenity of the atmosphere and enjoy the upbeat demeanor of its residents. But it would be a hell of a lot more interesting if the normal stillness was suddenly broken by a botched kidnapping leading up to a triple homicide. In Joel and Ethan Coen's highly acclaimed film Fargo, a web of intrigue is spun around the colorful characters, where every action is unpredictable, and you find yourself eagerly waiting for more.

Fargo gets right down to business when well-mannered Minneapolis car salesman Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy, Boogie Nights) hires two small-time crooks, Carl Showalter (Steve Buscemi, Reservoir Dogs) and Gaear Grimsrud (Peter Stormare, Minority Report) to kidnap his wife and hold her for ransom. Jerry plans to coax his greedy father-in-law into paying the ransom, which in turn he could use to pay off his own debts. What begins as a harmless, well-planned kidnapping quickly spirals out of control when the sociopathic Gaear kills a police officer and two civilians in cold blood. The deaths lead pregnant police-chief, Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand, Almost Famous) to begin an investigation.

The Coen Brothers have always been adept storytellers and Fargo is no exception. They are able to create unique characters, resonating with distinct personalities from the moment they are introduced. In Fargo, the people and their snowy North Dakota town are underlined in such a manner, that the viewer immediately gets an idea of the world that the main characters interact in. The Coen Brothers' directing style not only takes into account every small detail of the story but also applies visually stunning shots that give the film a nice, fluid progression.

Aside from the directing, Fargo was a success because of the convincing performances of the cast. McDormand earned herself an Oscar for her portrayal of the composed and pleasant police-chief. She and Macy hit the "Minnesota nice" accent spot on, pronouncing every mannerism and speech pattern perfectly. But Buscemi's portrayal of the talkative Carl and Stormare's performance as the quiet and mentally unstable Gaear make the film a successful dark comedy. Their awkward conversations throughout the movie, give the film a natural feel of edgy realism.

A quiet cabin in a winter wonderland does sound nice, but unpredictable events spinning off from a murder just sounds way more fun. That is exactly what Fargo offers as a film. It sucks you into its story, grabs your attention, familiarizes you with the characters, and just when you think you know what will happen next, you find yourself grinning with delight at the bizarrely unexpected twist.