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Amazon.co.uk Review
Leave it to the wildly inventive Coen brothers (Joel directs, Ethan produces, they both write) to concoct a fiendishly clever kidnap caper that's simultaneously a comedy of errors, a Midwestern satire, a taut suspense thriller and a violent tale of criminal misfortune. It all begins when a hapless car salesman (played to perfection by William H. Macy) ineptly orchestrates the kidnapping of his own wife. The plan goes horribly awry in the hands of bumbling bad guys Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare (one of them being described by a local girl as "kinda funny lookin'" and "not circumcised"), and the pregnant sheriff of Brainerd, Minnesota, (played exquisitely by Frances McDormand in an Oscar-winning role) is suddenly faced with a case of multiple murders. Her investigation is laced with offbeat observations about life in the rural hinterland of Minnesota and North Dakota, and Fargo embraces its local yokels with affectionate humour. At times shocking and hilarious, Fargo is utterly unique and distinctly American, bearing the unmistakable stamp of its inspired creators. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
Product Description
Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, Harve Presnell, William H. MacyDirector: Joel Coen
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
To many good film fanatics the assurance of William H Macy and Frances McDormand is normally enough to ensure a night in with the dvd player but for those who aren't familiar with the actors or the fantastic directorial work of the Coen Brothers this is going to convert you.
Quirky?! Yes its Coen Brothers work here.. but also hilarious Macy and McDormand stun in their Scandinavian lilts as a small town couple who are not so traditional. Steve Buscemi also shines and even though the language isn't exactly subtle the film is riddled with hilarious dark humour from beginning to end and is well worth watching for anyone who likes a bit of offbeat genius!
Quirky?! Yes its Coen Brothers work here.. but also hilarious Macy and McDormand stun in their Scandinavian lilts as a small town couple who are not so traditional. Steve Buscemi also shines and even though the language isn't exactly subtle the film is riddled with hilarious dark humour from beginning to end and is well worth watching for anyone who likes a bit of offbeat genius!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
Rewatching 1996's "Fargo" on Blu Ray is an odd experience - a bit like the film itself. It's both better and worse...
First - the Blu Ray print - I'd estimate that about 50% of the time, the picture is much, much better and the close-up shots in police cars in particular are beautifully clear. But unfortunately it's worse in other areas - there's a lot of blocking in the blizzard scenes, fuzziness indoors and the feeling of a low-budget Indie film is now accentuated rather than subdued...and although people will argue that's the nature of this independent movie, I'm not so sure it's such a good thing with the merciless exposure Blu Ray gives film stock.
The Special Features is a lone commentary by cameraman and photographer ROGER DEAKINS and it's funny and informative, but there was surely room for so much more...cast interviews?
Speaking of which...the casting is inspired. Both Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare (turned up as Satan in Constantine) are fabulous as the hapless and deranged kidnappers - a perfect foil to the bumbling William H Macy character Jerry. Macy is astonishing in Fargo - so brilliant that mere adjectives fail me. But he's matched in subtlety by Frances McDormand who plays the lovely, decent and upbeat highway copper Marge - pottering about in her huge comfy coat saying "Ya" and "Jeez" all the time, threatening to barf and chomping away on burgers and huge meals to keep herself and her advanced pregnancy stoked up. The dialogue is ball-breakingly funny, the slightly oddball characters surely drawn from real life and the violence arbitrary and a lot more ugly than you remember it. You have to love the Coens - you really do!
If you have affection for this grotesque, compelling and strangely human film - then the Blu Ray with it's improved close-up of a sheet of paper attached to Steve Buscemi's gunshot cheek - is a good buy. And that look on Marge's face at the end as she tries to comprehend what psycho in the back seat did to his partner in the famous woodchopper scene...is priceless.
A good Blu Ray release then - but docked a star for not putting more extras on here (which will undoubtedly turn up on the "Ultimate" Edition a few years down the line)...
First - the Blu Ray print - I'd estimate that about 50% of the time, the picture is much, much better and the close-up shots in police cars in particular are beautifully clear. But unfortunately it's worse in other areas - there's a lot of blocking in the blizzard scenes, fuzziness indoors and the feeling of a low-budget Indie film is now accentuated rather than subdued...and although people will argue that's the nature of this independent movie, I'm not so sure it's such a good thing with the merciless exposure Blu Ray gives film stock.
The Special Features is a lone commentary by cameraman and photographer ROGER DEAKINS and it's funny and informative, but there was surely room for so much more...cast interviews?
Speaking of which...the casting is inspired. Both Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare (turned up as Satan in Constantine) are fabulous as the hapless and deranged kidnappers - a perfect foil to the bumbling William H Macy character Jerry. Macy is astonishing in Fargo - so brilliant that mere adjectives fail me. But he's matched in subtlety by Frances McDormand who plays the lovely, decent and upbeat highway copper Marge - pottering about in her huge comfy coat saying "Ya" and "Jeez" all the time, threatening to barf and chomping away on burgers and huge meals to keep herself and her advanced pregnancy stoked up. The dialogue is ball-breakingly funny, the slightly oddball characters surely drawn from real life and the violence arbitrary and a lot more ugly than you remember it. You have to love the Coens - you really do!
If you have affection for this grotesque, compelling and strangely human film - then the Blu Ray with it's improved close-up of a sheet of paper attached to Steve Buscemi's gunshot cheek - is a good buy. And that look on Marge's face at the end as she tries to comprehend what psycho in the back seat did to his partner in the famous woodchopper scene...is priceless.
A good Blu Ray release then - but docked a star for not putting more extras on here (which will undoubtedly turn up on the "Ultimate" Edition a few years down the line)...
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
Fargo is a Coen classic that no matter how many times I watch it, gives me a wince and a laugh. Frances McDormand is her usual excellent self although you could argue that her characters are always the same.
If you're a newcomer to the Coen catalogue put Fargo prettyy close to the top of your wishlist. It's the Coen's doing what they do best, short and sweet excellent story telling. It does bug me that they put 'Based on a true story' at the start, just to get us talking about it. A bit of boy who cried wolf going on...
The blu-ray transfer is very so-so. Most of the time, it's very grainy but the colours are enhanced. I didn't notice anything different with the audio - there's not much for HD audio to work with. Is it better than the DVD? Marginally but given it's such a low price it's just about worth the upgrade.
Languages on disc: English DTS HD master & Stereo; Castillian Spanish 5.1 DTS; Brazillian Portugese 5.1 DTS; French (Parisian) 5.1 DTS; French (Quebecous) 5.1 DTS; German; Italian; Latin Spanish;
Subs on disc: Loads! Castillian text and commentary; Brazillian Portugese, Cantonese; Croatian; Czech; Dutch text and commentary; French (Parisian & Quebecois); German text and commentary; Greek; Hebrew; Hungarian; Italian text and commentary; Korean; Latin Spanish; Mandarin; Polish; Potugese; Thai; Turkish
NOTE: The packaging says that there are Japanese language and subtitles available but they are NOT on the disc.
Region Free
If you're a newcomer to the Coen catalogue put Fargo prettyy close to the top of your wishlist. It's the Coen's doing what they do best, short and sweet excellent story telling. It does bug me that they put 'Based on a true story' at the start, just to get us talking about it. A bit of boy who cried wolf going on...
The blu-ray transfer is very so-so. Most of the time, it's very grainy but the colours are enhanced. I didn't notice anything different with the audio - there's not much for HD audio to work with. Is it better than the DVD? Marginally but given it's such a low price it's just about worth the upgrade.
Languages on disc: English DTS HD master & Stereo; Castillian Spanish 5.1 DTS; Brazillian Portugese 5.1 DTS; French (Parisian) 5.1 DTS; French (Quebecous) 5.1 DTS; German; Italian; Latin Spanish;
Subs on disc: Loads! Castillian text and commentary; Brazillian Portugese, Cantonese; Croatian; Czech; Dutch text and commentary; French (Parisian & Quebecois); German text and commentary; Greek; Hebrew; Hungarian; Italian text and commentary; Korean; Latin Spanish; Mandarin; Polish; Potugese; Thai; Turkish
NOTE: The packaging says that there are Japanese language and subtitles available but they are NOT on the disc.
Region Free
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Nothing to write home about
It is an OK film about a lady sheriff who investigates some serious crimes in her quiet neighbourhood. Read more
Published 13 days ago by Robert
Don't Bother
Seriously, why? This film is rubbish. Having heard so many reviews rave it's originality and humour I decided to buy it. Read more
Published 2 months ago by PK22
Real good now - nothing's going wrong here
An excellent film about an extortion plot gone wrong and a detective thriller, and probably one of the Coen brothers' finest works. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Miami
Fargo Straight To 5 Star!!
1st off yay!, I'm the 50th person to give this masterpiece of a movie 5 star!
I read all the 1 star reviews first and laughed at them all, because i knew when i saw the... Read more
I read all the 1 star reviews first and laughed at them all, because i knew when i saw the... Read more
Published 7 months ago by TotalStuntman
Hmmmmmm........
I have seen a number of the "newer" Coen brothers films and Fargo contains elements similar to "No Country for Old Men" and also "Burn After Reading". Read more
Published 11 months ago by Louise Roberts
Don't far-go this movie (I'm sorry, I'm sorry)
Set in Minnesota where the Coens grew up, this rural area isn't one usually visited by film makers. With a large immigrant population of Scandinavian origin, the local accent is... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Ian Williams
Classic
A classic movie, about a car salesman who gets in debt and buys his way out by having his wife kidnapped. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Scrouge
no improvement at all!!
Without doubt one of the best films ever made, and having watched it over 20 times i`m a good judge! Read more
Published 13 months ago by Duncan
Lenny
Great film,great blu ray transfer great acting. You cannot afford to miss it. Arguably the best of the Coen Brothers films. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Leonard H. Thomas
Coen Bro's finest? It's up there!
Another of the Coen's finest moments. I prefer the Big L for the longevity due to the dialogue but Fargo is one of the best films of the genre.
Published 15 months ago by M. Evans
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