The Coen brothers first screamed to the top ranks of my favorite filmmakers with their 1996 hit FARGO.
Frances McDormand is perfect as small town cop Marge Gunderson, whose gentle demeanor and homespun cheer mask a pretty damn good cop.
William H. Macy is also fantastic as car dealer Jerry Lundegaard, who plans a faked kidnapping of his wife to extort money from his hardboiled father-in-law Wade Gustafson, played hard by Harve Presnell in his best role in 30 years.
Joel & Ethan Coen write the film brilliantly, creating comedy out of gentle observations about the everyday moments of life in Fargo.
As Jerry's kidnapping plan spins wildly out of control thanks to explosive kidnappers Steve Buscemi (hilarious in my favorite Buscemi performance) and Peter Stormare as his quiet blond partner in crime, the violence is graphic, suspenseful and shocking.
The fact the Coens can dance the line between comedy and violent drama so perfectly made this one of my favorite films of the nineties.
Nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture and winner of Best Actress for McDormand and Best Screenplay for the Coens, Fargo is hilarious, shocking, tragic and brilliant.
Now don't ya know this gets an A, you betcha.
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