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Cast: Frances McDormand (Marge Gunderson), William H. Macy (Jerry Lundegaard), Steve Buscemi (Carl Showalter), Peter Stormare (Gaear Grimsrud)

Written by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Directed by: Joel Coen

Frances in a scene from the movie

The Coen brothers are funny for sure. Disturbingly hilarious. They are funny guys who make bloody movies. Gory cinema with stereotypes. Stereotypes, which sound trite but feel true. Where people commit stupid, violent acts for money, revenge. And it doesn’t stop with a crime or two. The characters dig themselves into a hole. In efforts to extricate themselves from that hole they continue to dig more and more holes till there’s no surface left for them to emerge onto. Fargo is probably my favorite Coen brothers’ movie. They achieve a near perfect synthesis of their themes in this simple movie with a convoluted plot.

Jerry Lundegaard works as a manager on a car sales lot. He has his smiling photograph up on the wall of fame. Along with around 30 others. The lot is owned by his domineering father-in-law who just stops short of forcing Jerry to wear a “I am a loser” tag around his neck. And Jerry does act like a guy who’s programmed to languish at the bottom of the food chain for eternity. He is the invisible guy who always gets jumped in the queue. His wife is always hovering on the edge, flitting around with a nervous energy, trying too hard to please.

Jerry needs money from his father-in-law to invest in parking lots. He has submitted the business plan for approval, the chances of getting which don’t seem too bright. So, he hatches a ‘foolproof’ plan. Get his wife kidnapped. And split the ransom money with the kidnappers. No one gets hurt. So, he hires nasty Carl and silent but nastier Gaear. I got the character’s name from the end-credits. Couldn’t recall if anyone used his name during the movie. Steve Buscemi has long been the go-to guy for such edgy, marginally weird roles. He gets it effortlessly. As Carl here, he adds a mean streak to the mix of jumpy garrulousness and none too brilliant thought process.

During the kidnapping in the house, the wife panics, Carl and Gaear mess up. The absurdity of the sequence is vintage Coen. The ineptitude with which the latter two go about the task is more than scary. It’s a portent of worse things to come. Finally they manage to literally bundle her into the car’s backseat. On the way back they are stopped by a cop. Carl forgot to change the dealer plates on their new car. Which they got as part payment for the deal. Carl tries to smoothly talk his way out of the situation. Gaear calmly takes out his gun and shoots the cop. Why take any risks. But two passers-by in a car see them. Thus, they also end up shot dead by the roadside.

Now, Marge Gunderson, played by a Frances McDormand in a memorable performance enters the movie (Years ago, she played the neglected unhappy housewife in Blood Simple, the first time we witnessed the dark, part black comedy, part noirish vision of the Coens). Roused from her sleep early in the morning, she puts on her police uniform over a hugely pregnant frame and sets out for the crime scene. After having a nice breakfast with her husband. In just a couple of scenes, the loving relationship between the couple is firmly established. Initially, Marge looks more like the next-door friendly lady who would be more at home chatting up your mom than chasing bad guys. However, soon we realize that she’s tough as nails beneath her homely exterior. She is smart. And tough. She has the intuitive grasp of situations, necessary for a good cop. And she is relentless. Her warmth and sensible equanimity provides the sane counterpoint to all the madness. Once, Marge starts investigating and things begin to get heated up, Jerry’s plan unravels rapidly.

The Coens have always created intensely human characters driven by all too recognizable weaknesses and failings in their best works. In a world where we have turned apathetic to the ubiquitous violence surrounding us, they contemplate on the horrific triviality of it all.

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