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Fargo (1996)

The movie begins with Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy, Oleanna, Stealing Sinatra), a car salesman with financial troubles. Jerry hires two men, the “funny looking” Carl Showalter (Steve Buscemi, The Island) and Gaear Grimsrud (Peter Stormare), to kidnap his wife for a sum of $80,000 ransom money. The kidnappers are to receive a new car and half of the ransom. The plan falls apart when a state trooper pulls over the kidnappers near Brainerd, (with Jerry’s wife in the back of the car under a blanket). After an unsuccessful bribe attempt by Showalter, Grimsrud murders the policeman and two witnesses who drive by. The deaths are investigated by local police chief Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand, Blood Simple, Aeon Flux). This movie has many elements of “Blood Simple”, both movies are Coen Brothers films. I agree with people who classify this movie as a classic. It is by far one of my favorites. Frances McDormand nailed an Academy Award with her performance in this movie. The performances turned in by this cast is nothing short of phenomenal, this movie definitely put Steve Buscemi on the map. I Give this movie 5*****Stars.