The flash of goodness that elevates 'Fargo'

Frances McDormand investigates a murder in 1996’s “Fargo.” (Gramercy Pictures/MovieStillsDB.com)

"Fargo"
Released March 8, 1996
Directed by Joel Coen
Where to Watch

At this point in their careers, the Coen brothers are amongst the most distinguished filmmakers of their generation and all time. Their prolific filmography is unique and idiosyncratic, with many moments and performances that became culturally memorable (and in modern times, meme-able). The Coens have several masterpieces in their name, but for me, "Fargo" edges out the rest as their best movie thanks to the glimmer of hope that shines at the end.

This "homespun murder story" starts with the plot already in motion. Hapless car salesman Jerry Lundergaard (William H. Macy) travels to Fargo, North Dakota, to meet with a pair of hoodlums Carl and Gaear (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare, respectively) to pitch them a scheme to "kidnap" Jerry's wife, Jean (Kristin Rudrüd), and split the ransom money between them. Carl grills Jerry about the absurdity of the plan, but later we find out Jerry has fallen into significant debt, and he's trying everything to raise the money to pay it off. He hopes to lean on his gruff and wealthy father-in-law Wade (Harve Presnell), who can barely look at Jerry without losing his lunch, to supply the ransom. 

Carl and Gaear begin their roles in the scheme by kidnapping Jean, but on the way back to their cabin hideout, Gaear murders a state trooper who stops them and then two witnesses who happen to drive by at the wrong time. This introduces a pregnant police chief, Marge Henderson (Frances McDormand), into the story as she investigates the murders. Marge works through the case clues, gradually finding her way to the kidnappers, while Jerry's scheme backfires at every opportunity.

The Coen brothers have often bounced between drama and comedy in their films, sometimes even in the same movie, but audiences looking for heartwarming tales of inspiration should look elsewhere. The filmmakers embed their movies with irony, sometimes brutally, and the crushing sense of inevitable dread, particularly in the latter works like 2007's "No Country for Old Men," 2009's "A Serious Man," 2013's "Inside Llwyen Davis," and even 2008's "Burn After Reading." This period of their filmography has produced some of their most acclaimed work, and I'd share those sentiments too, but the final notes of these movies often land like a gut punch.

While there are instances in their movies where they recognize the spirit's potential to lift others up, the Coens are more interested in examining the flaws of the human condition and how it can lead to self-destruction. One of the motifs that can distinguish them from many other films is that virtually none of their characters can legitimately be considered the smartest person in the room. As an example, take George Clooney, a frequent collaborator with the Coens. Clooney can effortlessly present a persona of style, calm, and intelligence, best exemplified in the Ocean's movies. And yet, when he appears in Coens productions, his characters are, at best, deluded fools. In the Coens universe, people can aspire to everyday intelligence, but it's best not to reach too far above that.

There are several examples of this in "Fargo." Now, some characters genuinely believe they are the most intelligent person in the room, particularly Carl and Wade, but their mental capacity turns into hubris when times get tough. Jerry also believes he can outsmart everybody in this scheme he concocted, despite stumbling into his plans backfiring again and again. Every one of these characters meets a tragic fate.

On the other hand, there's Marge. She has that everyday intelligence that comes with common sense, but she's hardly Sherlock Holmes. At one point, she drives to Minneapolis and checks into a hotel. As she walks up to the counter in a lobby, she sees a half-dozen silent clerks standing shoulder-to-shoulder awaiting their next guest. She pauses for a half step and tries to guess which clerk she should talk to but quickly pivots when another clerk welcomes her to the hotel. It's a quick moment in a movie that is never commented on but establishes the relatable world within "Fargo."

When she's working on the case, Marge is diligent but never gets ahead of herself. She follows the leads and eventually finds herself in Jerry's office. There is a little tension in their conversation, but Marge feels like she has what she needs. It's only after a weird encounter with a former classmate that Marge has a hunch that Jerry might not have been straightforward, and their subsequent conversation completely cracks him. Her intelligence is grounded in reason and humility.

Marge is the primary reason why "Fargo" remains my favorite of the Coens filmography. In movies like "No Country for Old Men," "Burn After Reading," and "A Serious Man," protagonists who get too far ahead of themselves are struck down, giving us harsh reminders of the realities of the modern world. Marge has little ambition in "Fargo" beyond doing her job and spending time with her husband, but just that humility helps her solve the case and bring the instigators to justice. 

"There's more to life than a little bit of money," Marge tells Gaear after she arrests him. "Don't you know that? And here you are, and it's a beautiful day."

There are few filmmakers working today who are as talented and skillful as the Coen brothers, and almost all of their films deserve study. But it's the movies like "Fargo," "Raising Arizona," and "The Big Lebowski" that, through the chaos, offer a window of hope at the end that are the ones I return to the most. 

"The Coens are at their clever best with this snowbound film noir, a crazily mundane crime story set in their native Midwest," wrote Janet Maslin in her review for The New York Times. "Perversely, the frozen north even brings out some uncharacteristic warmth in these cooly cerebral filmmakers, although anyone seeking the milk of human kindness would be well advised to look elsewhere. The Coens' outlook remains as jaundice as it was in 'Blood Simple,' the razor-sharp 1984 debut feature that the much more stylish and entertaining "Fargo" brings to mind."

"Fargo" opened with a limited release in 36 theaters on March 8, 1996. The positive word of mouth and good reviews helped build momentum as it continued adding theaters every week, peaking with a wide release of 716 theaters on April 5. It grossed a total of $24.6 million during its original domestic run and even more than that in international theaters, topping out at $60.6 million worldwide. At the time, it was the most successful box office of the Coen brothers' careers. 

The film earned even more significant accolades the following year during awards season. While conventional industry wisdom says releasing a movie that early in the cycle dooms its chances for recognition because it is hard to sustain momentum amongst the people who decide the winners, "Fargo" was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Joel Coen, both of which were firsts for the brothers. They won Best Original Screenplay that year, and McDormand took home the Oscar for Best Actress.

After a string of quirky but admired films that fizzled out at the box office, "Fargo" felt like the moment the Coen brothers were accepted by the public as notable filmmakers of the era, the kind of brand name recognition that is reserved for the very best. Of course, that brand is uniquely theirs. Just as they earned the most considerable success of their careers with a drama, they pivoted to making comedies for the next few years, including 1998's "The Big Lebowski" and 2000's "O Brother Where Art Thou?" They returned to more serious fare with 2007's "No Country for Old Men," which finally delivered Academy Awards to the brothers for Best Picture and Best Director.

McDormand and Macy also turned their fortunes with "Fargo" into more high-profile work. More often than not, McDormand continued focusing on finding starring roles about interesting, complex characters that conveyed the full range of her talents in drama and comedy. She starred in 2000's "Almost Famous," 2012's "Moonrise Kingdom," and most recently 2020's "Nomadland," while returning to collaborate with the Coens in 2001's "The Man Who Wasn't There" and 2008's "Burn After Reading." Macy earned an Oscar nomination for "Fargo." He would spend the next few years playing significant roles in all kinds of Hollywood movies, including 1997's "Boogie Nights," before accepting his starring role on the long-running Showtime series, "Shameless."

"Fargo" itself unexpectedly continued its legacy after FX launched an acclaimed anthology television series in 2014 inspired by the film, with four seasons thus far. It was also recognized by the American Film Institute on its inaugural "100 Years, 100 Movies" list as one of the best movies ever. "Fargo" will remain in its position as an entertaining, landmark film in both cinematic history and the Coen brothers' ongoing careers.

It absolutely will for me.

Next Week: "Evil Dead 2"