Matisse van Rossum’s review published on Letterboxd:
Watched as part of my "100 Films to See Before You Die" Challenge.
#3 of 100
The Coen brothers know their way around a movie, plain and simple. I haven't seen their entire filmography, but I have yet to see one of their films that I haven't enjoyed immensely, and Fargo is no exception. A tight script, a well constructed story, simple yet effective cinematography, and outstanding performances all around. Fargo isn't the kind of film that has a whole lot that needs to be discussed; it pretty much speaks for itself, but I thought I'd highlight some things I particularly enjoyed about it.
It's a film with excellent tonal shifting, moving seamlessly from lighthearted, quirky scenes rife with Minnesota-isms (doontcha knoow), to dark, disturbing depictions of violence and cruelty. These transitions aren't awkward, and don't take you out of the story, which is a difficult effect to pull of smoothly, but the Coens do it like they were born knowing how.
The second thing I really liked: Steve Buscemi. He's an actor I've always enjoyed, be it in this, Reservoir Dogs, or even Armageddon (which I hated, but still loved Buscemi). He's just great at what he does, say no more. William H. Macy is great in Fargo too, playing a selfish, cowardly, despicable character that's easy to hate, but it's also easy to appreciate his performance.
Fargo lets its characters drive the story, and drive it they do from beginning to end. It's a relatively simple, yet impressive film, and while it's not my favorite from the Coen brothers (No Country for Old Men holds that spot currently), it's a strong, entertaining film that I believe deserves its place in this list.