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Fargo
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Fargo

1996
Drama, Suspense/Thriller
1h 38m
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Avg Percentile 72.08% from 17230 total ratings

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(17230)
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Rated 24 Jan 2007
95
94th
I generally dislike "comedies"; I prefer movies that simply use comedy as a cinematic device just like any other, and that's something the Coens do better than most. I mean, Fargo isn't really a comedy. In some ways it's more like a tragedy. But the way it balances the two "genres" -- and in the process shows how they're more closely connected than we usually realize -- it manages to become both, and neither. Or something like that.
Rated 13 Jun 2007
93
94th
Fargo is the only movie of its kind to work. It is so unique and has such great performances. It is such a hilarious film, and yet it is so dark and gruesome, especially the woodchipper scene. The Coen Bros. really know what they are doing, and this film is a prime example of their filmmaking capabilities. Frances McDormand leads a great cast, and wins a well deserved oscar. Fargo is one of a kind, and is one of the brightest American films in the past few decades.
Rated 01 May 2008
10
97th
(after repeat viewings) I like how the Coen brothers, arguably the most unhollywood directors in the industry, create characters that feel fresh and real. Easily one of the best American films of the 90's.
Rated 02 Mar 2007
99
99th
There's an undercurrent of quirky tragedy permeating Fargo, and it's unlike anything I've ever seen. No movie has been able to so perfectly walk the line between funny and horrific, which is why Fargo is the quintessential "black comedy." Nearly every scene, every bit of dialog, every character, and every shot is memorable which makes this one of the most watchable movies I've ever seen. I just can't stop smiling throughout it.
Rated 15 Apr 2016
90
92nd
What I learned from this movie: it takes no less than two Cohen brothers to make movie about Minnesota but name it after a city in North Dakota. The conversation at the end about the 3-cent postage stamp features some of the most poignant and moving dialogue I've watched on film since Quaid told Richter on Mars that he'd see him at the party.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
10
99th
Never before have murder and kidnapping been so hilarious.
Rated 09 Feb 2007
5
91st
Turns noir on its head in an unexpected manner. All the old cliches - a smart, resourceful arm of the law, bumbling thieves, a down-on-his-luck loser, death, double-crosses - are here, but given dark humor and a realistic, and in an odd way, charming portrait of "real" people in a real city. More or less a flawless movie, only topped among the Coens' work by Barton Fink in my opinion.
Rated 16 Aug 2008
100
97th
The Coen Brothers seldom miss. This is a perfect film in every aspect - intelligent, witty, dark & twisted but at the same time funny as hell. The disintegration of Lerry Lundegaard's crime is one that'll go down in history. And, needless to mention, William H. Macy is excellent and the Buscemi-Stormare -couple even better.
Rated 16 Jan 2013
95
84th
A really good movie. The whole cast is great, with McDormand and Macy being the two stand-outs. The story is dark and also funny at times, while the directing is just really good. Quite possibly one of the best movies made.
Rated 01 Aug 2009
94
99th
Absolutely compelling, fascinating, weird, funny, sad, moving, dark, and brutal. Fargo is the Coen's flexing their considerable genius to the maximum degree. It's full of wonderful performances and a water tight script too. One of the finest films I've ever seen.
Rated 20 Jun 2012
92
98th
This movie features the best delivery of "You should see the other guy," I've ever seen.
Rated 18 Mar 2007
97
97th
Fargo is a creative and brilliant mystery thriller that is oftentimes more funny than even the best comedies out there. It's engaging from start to finish and will surely go down as one of the best movies around.
Rated 08 Feb 2008
94
98th
My first exposure to the Cohen Brothers and it remains my favorite (although "No Country for Old Men" comes close, very close). This one possibly started my love for understated comedy, moving me away from stuff like "The Mask" while also helping me almost completely avoid Adam Sandler's inexplicable career. William H. Macy, Frances M. and Steve Buscemi are outstanding. "I got shot! I got shot IN THE FACE."
Rated 14 Aug 2007
98
99th
Possibly the creepiest performance in cinematic history is turned in by William H. Macy as the conniving salesman. The epitome of evil, weak and yielding, utterly gutless. Truly great acting.
Rated 06 Feb 2014
90
93rd
The Coens combine dark humour and disquieting violence in a rural, snowy setting as a pregnant police chief trails inept kidnappers. McDormand's sublime performance provides one of cinema's most relatable and unexpectedly strong-willed heroines, while Macy's snivelling wuss, Buscemi's blabbermouth and Stormare's icy psycho are all perfectly measured. The subtly hilarious script is maybe the best of the 90s, and Deakins' photography and Burwell's music fit the tone flawlessly.
Rated 27 Apr 2009
95
96th
One of the best movies I've seen. Wonderfully dark and funny at the same time featuring some of the best performances I've seen out of any of the actors in it along with some of the most memorable scenes ever. Everything about this movie was well-crafted and is one of the most tragic and funny movies I've seen.
Rated 03 Aug 2010
96
98th
Arguably the finest Coen brothers film. To choose that setting, that accent, those characters, evoke that homely atmosphere and create a bumbling, sorry murder mystery out of all involved is pristine film making. The seemingly out of place vignette with Marge and a newly single, old classmate isn't as benign as made out. He represents the inner turmoil and indecision Jerry is suffering. Marge, homicide in mind, watches the squirming, uncomfortable man in front of her and the connection is made.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
91
98th
This movie is so interesting in how it captures a large-scale crime in a small-scale community. The way that characters are driven and motivated are so amazing. Each character is fully developed and the cinematography is fantastic.
Rated 09 Feb 2007
5
98th
Excellent film noir / blanche.
Rated 16 Oct 2012
90
94th
One of the best to come from the masterful Coens duo. The dialogue flows so well between all the characters played by a superb cast. The story is executed perfectly, with shots of the small, snowy town driving the dark, melancholy mood throughout the whole film. Fair bit of humor mixed in there as well. Well deserved Oscars for the Coen brothers and McDormand both. Also, Minnesotan accents are kind of the coolest thing.
Rated 09 Mar 2007
10
96th
Not the Coen's most intelligent film, nor is it their best shot, or their best written, or even their funniest, yet for some reason I'm drawn to Fargo, and watching these hilarious, irrational idiots wreak havoc on the lives of naive midwesterners in the middle of nowhere fills a hole in my heart that I didn't even know existed. One of my favorite movies.
Rated 30 Jan 2012
79
70th
The dark humour was mildly amusing, but I absolutely didn't see human sentiment lurking anywhere. Polished and cold, it was too thin to evoke any real poignancy whenever it tip-toed into the realms of tragedy. Some great photography and the complete detestability of Jerry made it worthwhile, but I felt disappointed and let down that it was so void of real emotion.
Rated 23 Sep 2020
100
97th
Rewatch: It's got an amazing story and it's hilarious. It perfectly bounces back and forth from being light, especially the accents, to being extremely dark.
Rated 29 Aug 2008
92
92nd
Like many Coen Bros. films, it's an entertaining crime story that takes place in small town America. There's a bizarre sense of dark humor that permeates the violent plot, creating a unique style that the Coens have mastered over time. McDormand, Buscemi, & Macy in particular are all terrific; at times hilarious, at times extremely intense. There are not many films with this kind of atmosphere, but it's definitely something to experience.
Rated 25 Mar 2012
100
98th
Rewatched this after going through the FX series and the Coens can do in 90 minutes what took the other show to do in 10 hours. Amazing amazing delicious movie. 10/10 thumbs up A+ gold star sticker
Rated 14 Aug 2007
93
94th
What incredible filmmaking! Fargo is not only hilarious, but the acting is terrific, the cinematography and story are unique, and each character is so developed that everything comes together brilliantly. The crime drama genre is rarely so groundbreaking, but thankfully, the Coen Brother's are masters of their craft. Awesome!
Rated 12 Jan 2009
99
92nd
the best exercise on "greed kills" thematic
Rated 08 Aug 2009
98
99th
This might sound weird, but I think Fargo is the greatest good vs. evil story ever told.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
88th
Mordantly funny classic, featuring all the awkward comedic beats in the Coens' ouerve. Frances McDormand is a highlight.
Rated 18 Dec 2008
90
91st
Loved it. Really walks the line between tragic thriller and comedy and totally pulls it off. McDormand and Macy were awesome, along with the rest of the cast. Their line deliveries and accents were great. Glad I finally saw it.
Rated 04 Mar 2007
5
93rd
Expertly walks the line between black comedy and tragic thriller in a precise way. The film's odd humor and crafty editing keep it at a briskly entertaining pace, while the characters themselves inject an emotional complexity to make it a pretty unconventional neo-noir.
Rated 19 May 2020
88
87th
This could be 90 minutes of Minnesotans trying to describe what Steve Buscemi looks like and I'd still think it's great.
Rated 21 Aug 2012
58
20th
Need to give this one another chance, but I was not impressed the first time around.
Rated 19 Mar 2012
90
97th
Beautifully dark. The Coens have the market cornered on inept criminals, and Jerry Lundegaard is one of the all-time greats. The over-exaggerated accents add a bit of eccentricity to it, as well.
Rated 11 Mar 2010
6
62nd
This is good, but I couldn't effortlessly rave about it. It has that Coen Brothers feel, black comedy used as a device (some may say as 'relief') to the seriousness of the tragedy. It's a unique way of looking at the world and dealing with the curve balls that reality throws at us. But ultimately it's missing something special, something Barton Fink and No Country For Old Men had, a certain intangible texture and mood.
Rated 16 Nov 2012
95
97th
Excellent directing, storytelling and acting. I disagree with those saying it is overrated. They probably do not watch enough bad films or think Transformers is a good movie. When a movie is good, it's good, so why punish it for what others think about it?
Rated 14 Aug 2007
95
98th
If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I never would've believed that a pregnant cop would make such an awesome movie character. Superb performances from McDormand and Macy in the Coens best film.
Rated 21 Sep 2010
95
99th
Pretty bleak story manages (as usual for the Coen Bros.) to mix in its fair share of humor. Great perfomances by pretty much the entire cast, particularly Macy and McDormand.
Rated 05 Jan 2011
85
88th
And the hell of it is, she never got to see just how funny-looking he was.
Rated 26 Sep 2010
90
96th
Solid Coen goodness. Nice to see a crime film committed by incompetent bumblers and average joes - not criminal masterminds or gangsters. Had me laughing half of the time, in suspense the other half. Also, apparently North Dakotans have adorable accents.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
83
83rd
If you're in the mood for clever and ironic (if not emotionally engaging) then this is it. The Cohen brothers reached their peak with this unsentimental film about human folly in the heartland.
Rated 04 Mar 2009
100
98th
Above and beyond all else, around and through all else, the Coen brothers have assembled here a timeless document on their native state, Minnesota. On its notorious winters. On its snow shovels and its ice scrapers (implement of an uproarious temper tantrum). On its parkas and mittens and gloves and galoshes (standard tidy row of them inside the front door). On its pancake houses and Swedish-smorgasbord cafeterias ("How's the fricassee?"). On its Paul Bunyan and his Babe, the Blue Ox.
Rated 19 Dec 2010
90
89th
While I'm not buying this as the Coen's best film( I think Barton Fink is), I will say that this is overall great stuff. I was surprised to find this was only around 90 minutes run time, but the time isn't wasted and every scene has a purpose. I found the main trio of McDormand, Buscemi, and Macy to be great, the dialogue to be great, and the random acts of violence to be suitably disturbing and, yet, amusing in some cases. Wood chipper anyone. I can't believe I originally saw this as a kid.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
79
75th
The accents are wonderful, and everyone does a solid performance. However, it wasn't as great as everyone made it out to be. A definite watchable nevertheless.
Rated 20 Jan 2008
71
52nd
It's quietly funny, outrageous, seemingly effective; Frances McDormand is great, but the film is remarkably overrated.
Rated 07 Feb 2010
91
98th
Marge's humour and humanity lift this bleak view of man's stupidity and greed in the North Dakota snow
Rated 25 Oct 2011
94
91st
Rewatch with family, in prep for finally getting around to the TV series. It's been a few years since I last saw Fargo, and I'd actually forgotten a surprising number of story beats - I was struck, once again, by how inextricably linked character and plot development are here. Very few films draw so heavily on characters' decisions and motivations to drive the story forward. It works an absolute treat. And it's so funny, and pretty, and well-directed, to boot. A filmmaking marvel.
Rated 16 Jan 2018
85
61st
I just love Coens filmmaking. The character is real, the visual is amazing
Rated 11 Sep 2008
95
93rd
McDormand & Macy are hilarious !! Close to perfection.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
95
97th
I love the contrast between the noir-style themes and the overall whiteness to the cinematography of Fargo. Under a shell of light-hearted family values is a dark, brooding tale of greed and deception. The best Coen brothers movie.
Rated 25 Mar 2010
45
85th
The Coens have the amazing ability to create movies that feel "small" but not "limited". Fargo couldn't have a quainter set of main characters set in a quainter town yet this does nothing to take away from the hilarious comedy and surprisingly heavy drama of the story. Side note: I love how McDormand is the female, small town, mid-Western version of Sherlock Holmes.
Rated 26 Sep 2010
93
97th
Takes a familiar story and puts in it a unique setting with fantastic characters and some great dark humor.
Rated 07 Jul 2007
90
93rd
Fargo is a one of a kind twisted take on the comedic drama that works to perfection.
Rated 28 Dec 2007
98
89th
Dark, well-written with perfect setting and camerawork makes for the most engaging FILM I have seen. I emphasize film because this is a movie above all else, everything feels like it is assisting the medium in doing what it's best at.
Rated 07 Sep 2009
95
97th
6/9/9 - Everything the Coen's do best - dark humour, strong (if somewhat 1-dimensional characters), sharp and snappy dialogue and great pacing and cinematography. Two performances really shine - McDormand is all warmth and charm and steals the show, while Buscemi presents a truly thuggish, creepy worm of a small-time crook.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
72nd
They expert balancing of drama, comedy and crime in this movie is genius.
Rated 28 Mar 2010
95
93rd
Everything from the opening title to the ending credits is practically perfect. The direction was gritty and tame and the original screenplay was mind-blowingly well-written. Frances Mcdormand was so full of reality and William H. Macy was very good also. One of my new favorites. Thank you coen Bros!
Rated 20 Jun 2008
98
99th
As perfect and concise a film as you will see in the modern age. Anyone else would've padded this to 2 hours. The Cohens only needed 90 minutes to paint a perfect canvas of characters in this simple yet memorable murder mystery. A top 10 film for me.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
85th
Funny and clever. Stormare and Buscemi are one of the most hilarious criminal pairs in movie history. One of the Coen brothers' masterpieces.
Rated 26 Jan 2012
5
4th
I didn't laugh once. It was like a student film. A bad student film.
Rated 31 Mar 2017
80
78th
A lot of people consider this the Coens best work, but I personally rank it in the middle and am part of the small group who considers it a bit overrated. It has all the traits I often like their other films, slightly heightened oddball characters doing dark things with a good mix of humor, yet for some reason I never got fully invested. I still think it's very good and will someday give it another go.
Rated 18 May 2009
93
94th
Great movie. Annoying characters played well. Loved it.
Rated 02 Aug 2009
95
82nd
A concise thriller that treats its caricatures with love.
Rated 19 Nov 2010
90
91st
I love it when terrific scripts don't get wasted by having a terrific cast to support them, which is the case with this film.
Rated 10 May 2010
75
71st
I know I stand almost alone with this view, but I think "Fargo" is a particularly overrated film. It's technically very good, with some great filming, a solid cast, excellent writing and a hauntingly sparse-yet-powerful score, but I just find it to be lacking. It never once had my full attention, it never once truly grabbed me by the balls and said "hey, I'm a damn good film". I don't know what to attribute that to, and I'm very disappointed.
Rated 15 Oct 2013
86
79th
A bizarre mix of mild comedy and extraordinary tragedy wrought from one man's quest for easy money. Few films manage to be this kind of off-putting while being this absurd. Impeccably acted and well worth the time spent watching.
Rated 17 Feb 2009
85
84th
Funny stuff. Great cast with Buscemi and Macy and the awesome job done by McDormand. This is by far my favorite Coen brothers movie. The whole thing with Macy and his father in-law just cracks me up throughout the movie.
Rated 30 Mar 2007
100
95th
Not really a true story but absolutely hilarious. Should be regarded as a classic in the future if it's not already
Rated 10 Jul 2008
100
99th
I absolutely love Fargo and I'm not quite sure why. The melancholy mood of a small village in the midst of a cold winter might just strike a chord with my Finnish heart. Great bad guys, a very different heroine and a car salesman who gets into middle of really bad things. The haunting theme music tops this perfect piece of cinema off.
Rated 05 Nov 2013
82
67th
Not my favorite from the Coens, but still pretty damn good. McDormand, Buscemi and Macy are all supurb in their roles!
Rated 03 Jun 2009
100
97th
Perfect.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
100
97th
Frances McDormand turns in one of the all-time great acting performances in the Coen Brothers' best movie. Fargo is extremely original and perfectly blends dark humor and crime.
Rated 26 Jul 2011
67
29th
I enjoyed Fargo, especially Steve Buscemi's performance. However I can't help but feel I missed something. I don't understand why so many people like it so much. It was a bit dull and tended to drag on at times.
Rated 20 Dec 2009
94
93rd
A seamless comic thriller with a wonderful performance from Francis McDormand and great Minnesota atmosphere.
Rated 06 Nov 2010
66
20th
Not the best film of the Cohen, but some sequences and pictures remain, for instance when the guy digs to bury something (I forgot what), then checks on his left and right to make sure he can recognize the place. Actually exactly the same empty landscape appears to him. Perfect nonsense.
Rated 22 Dec 2010
73
40th
Y'know, I feel like I should like this, yet despite all the humour, all the sing-song accents and Frances McDormand's performance, I still can't get over the fact that this film still has the classically over-used "bumbling-criminals-conceive-hare-brained-plan-and-then-inevitably-make-a-big-giant-bloody-mess-of-things. Humour insues." storyline. And that's something I simply just cannot live with.
Rated 31 Jan 2008
100
99th
A perfect distillation of what the Coens are all about; an uncanny touch for suspense and sudden bursts of violence, gorgeous photography, playing around with noir tropes, small town character, a quirky yet startlingly dark sense of humour, and a downright Old Testament tale of craven, inept and pathetic evil pitted against the humble forces of good. A film that shows how a thousand beautifully observed little things can make a damn near perfect whole.
Rated 26 Jun 2014
9
91st
Fargo is another superb addition and trademark piece of filmmaking craft from the Coen Brothers. The overall direction, cinematography, script and performances are all absolutely superb. Frances McDormund is the standout, but William H Macy, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare & John Carroll Lynch are all brilliant also. The whole cast gives hilarious yet extremely intense performances. The story telling just oozes originality, quirkiness and dark humour and atmospherically I think it's one of a kind.
Rated 09 Apr 2008
7
84th
A pretty great pitch-black comedy / crime story. It's amusing, sad, and fascinating to watch Lundergaard's plot spiral out of control, and it's bolstered by excellent acting, writing, and pure cinematic style. Also, woodchipper!
Rated 22 Jan 2012
40
44th
Looks like a bunch of seven year olds wrote a screenplay and some nice people at Hollywood agreed to film it.
Rated 07 Jun 2012
70
33rd
I have to say I'm quite confused by all this banter stating this film is perfect and the Cohen Brother's masterpiece.This is not a bad film by any means, the performance from Buscemi pick up slack where it lacks. Although, the characters interlacing with the plots seemed forced and rushed, the subplot with Margie's old friend Asian Mike had no place in the scheme of it and really detracted from the whole experience. I've also seen superior photography from the Cohen Bros, No Country anyone?
Rated 22 Sep 2018
95
96th
R - Is it perfect? Pretty close, in terms of execution. Great story, great performances, looks amazing. I've been rewatching all the Coens' films in order, and I think this is their first masterpiece. (Won't have to wait long for the next one.)
Rated 20 Jun 2019
96
94th
An understated yet brilliant film, Fargo seamlessly blends different genres while having deeper layers behind its simplicity than seems possible. There is both breeziness and intensity throughout every element of the film, making it maddening to dissect and a pure joy to watch.
Rated 17 May 2008
90
94th
The Coen Brothers films are very unconventional and controversial, because of the acidity of social criticism in a subjective way and the black humor of little appreciation. And this movie is totally great. The script is extremely interesting, the direction is fabulous and the performances are perfect.
Rated 19 Jul 2008
100
93rd
Fargo is pure perfection. It manages to be darkly comic and powerfully dramatic at the same time. It also has the most awesome death sequences in any film. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to shove my partner in crime in a woodchipper.
Rated 14 Sep 2007
60
12th
Actually enjoyed the film , thought it was different and fresh.
Rated 26 Jul 2010
94
85th
The Coens one more time succeed at mixing drama and thriller with comedy
Rated 15 Aug 2010
76
95th
#00s(e)#, liked, oldies(2) }*{ #90s#, story, reviews.
Rated 09 Jan 2011
85
79th
Excellent. I respect the filmmakers for telling the story how it was, but that left certain elements of the movie lacking.
Rated 29 Nov 2011
91
80th
This movie does inappropriate humor better than anything else I've seen. The brutality and the gee shucks optimism are constantly at a clash with one another so it's easy to laugh at a scene where somebody gets shot in the face, or recoil when someone tells a joke because you're being pulled back and forth between these two worlds in rapid succession.
Rated 09 Sep 2015
86
87th
Great cast excellent pacing. Humor so deliciously dry you'll need a glass of water.
Rated 17 May 2008
91
98th
the coen brothers are always fantastic and the acting in this movie is extremely well done.
Rated 18 May 2007
93
95th
The best Coen brothers film? Maybe. Maybe.
Rated 22 Sep 2009
94
82nd
yah, pretty good film yah.
Rated 17 Jan 2011
98
97th
Almost perfect. The screenplay is subtle, hilarious, and concise without ever being simplistic. The cast is great, led by McDormand as a woman who, despite her simplicity, is filled with sharp intelligence, courage, and affection; her warmth as a screen presence melts the ice around her and gives the film its center, making for one of the most appealing, unassuming film heroes ever. The cinematography is brutally frigid, and the melancholy and sometimes menacing score fits the mood just right.
Rated 12 Mar 2011
100
0th
So damn entertaining and intelligent. Great cast.
Rated 06 Jan 2013
76
63rd
First Ranking on January 5th, 2013: 69 Second Ranking on August 20th, 2017: 76
Rated 17 Aug 2013
92
95th
A tragedy, a comedy, dark, gruesome, somber, yet brilliant laugh-out-loud funny. This is such a powerful and authentic movie. It's great.
Rated 10 Oct 2013
97
89th
The Coen brothers are always hit or miss for me. Often my opinion changes with them. When I first saw Fargo, it missed. I took it as a dark comedy. It's not. It's a rather caustic (and almost reactionary) critique of how we live our lives in America today. Pay attention to how television and money permeate almost every scene. All contrasted by an austere, unforgiving natural beauty.
Rated 24 Dec 2013
76
34th
convoluted and crazy, but ultimately pointless ... as all coen brother films are.

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