2. FARGO (1996)

This movie defies categorization. You'll find yourself laughing an awful lot while you watch it, but we'd be hard pressed to call it a comedy. There's a background plot involving cops hunting down a killer, but it's nothing so banal as a murder mystery. Perhaps all we can really call it is vintage Coen Brothers. Much like Pulp Fiction two years before it, this film traverses the full range of cinematic entertainment, touching on crime, money, and a distinctive American subculture, all brought to you by a powerhouse ensemble cast.

From the moment that Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) hires a pair of cretins to kidnap his wife, his lunatic scheme rapidly devolves into a series of unwanted killings and botched plans. The lighthearted bungling takes a sharp turn for the macabre when one of his henchmen turns a state trooper's skull into a blood fountain. Nasty. So why are we laughing? Because in classic Coen style, the film's plot is layered with fantastic character sketches in a bizarre milieu; in this case, the hinterlands of the upper Midwest.

Not only does the chief investigative officer, the pregnant Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand), endear you with her down home persistence, a stream of hysterical cameos by Midwesterners provides an entree in this foreign country within United States borders.

If you want a strong clue as to how good this movie is, consider that it was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar despite the fact that it was released in early March. To put that in perspective, consider the fact that almost every Best Picture in the last ten years has been released in December (staying eligible for that year's Oscars while opening as close as possible to the voting).

Notes:

  • Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Actress (McDormand) Supporting Actor (Macy), Director, and Screenplay

  • Won 2 Academy Awards: Best Actress and Screenplay

  • Contains a statement that it's based on a true story at the beginning, but it actually was not

  • Chosen by both Siskel and Ebert as the best film of 1996

  • Placed #84 on the American Film Institute's "100 Greatest Movies" List