X
  • 1996
  • R
  • Gramercy Pictures (I)
  • 1 h 38 m
  • 1996
  • R
  • Gramercy Pictures (I)
  • 1 h 38 m

Summary Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is a car salesman in Minneapolis who has landed himself deep into debt. Desperate for money, he hires two inept crooks to kidnap his own wife in the hope that her wealthy father will pay the ransom, giving him enough cash to pay off his associates and clear his debts.

Directed By: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Written By: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

  • 1996
  • R
  • Gramercy Pictures (I)
  • 1 h 38 m
  • 1996
  • R
  • Gramercy Pictures (I)
  • 1 h 38 m
Fargo
Metascore Universal acclaim Based on 25 Critic Reviews
86
User Score Universal acclaim Based on 760 User Ratings
8.7
My Score
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Where to Watch

Summary Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is a car salesman in Minneapolis who has landed himself deep into debt. Desperate for money, he hires two inept crooks to kidnap his own wife in the hope that her wealthy father will pay the ransom, giving him enough cash to pay off his associates and clear his debts.

Directed By: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Written By: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Where to Watch

Top Cast

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Universal acclaim Based on 25 Critic Reviews
86
88% Positive
22 Reviews
12% Mixed
3 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Universal acclaim Based on 25 Critic Reviews
86
88% Positive
22 Reviews
12% Mixed
3 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
100
McDormand is perfect in the role.
By Peter Bradshaw FULL REVIEW
100
As gruesome as Fargo is, the Coens keep us laughing with a Hollywood-centric view of middle America.
FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Universal acclaim Based on 760 User Ratings
8.7
91% Positive
695 Ratings
7% Mixed
51 Ratings
2% Negative
14 Ratings

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Universal acclaim Based on 760 User Ratings
8.7
91% Positive
695 Ratings
7% Mixed
51 Ratings
2% Negative
14 Ratings

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
10
SuperbaDMIke
Jun 16, 2022
Although Fargo is short with 98 minutes of runtime, but it describes the morality of the Coens brothers mind and they do it great.
Report
10
NickTheCritick
Nov 2, 2021
Here an other Coen brothers' masterpiece. Every shot here is like a painting and the film is also beautifully edited other than directed. This movie is a mix of dark comedy, thrilling and splatter with explosions of violence that really fit the movie's main theme : human stupidity. You have Coen at their best here. Easily one of Coen's best movies.
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100
Rotates its story through satire, comedy, suspense and violence, until it emerges as one of the best films I've ever seen.
By Roger Ebert FULL REVIEW
90
In the darkly humorous Fargo, iconoclastic filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen manage the precarious balancing act of respecting genre conventions and simultaneously pushing them to an almost surrealistic extreme. Very funny stuff.
FULL REVIEW
80
With the perfect assist from their actors, all of whom are well in on the joke, this affectionate look at the frozen North brings the Coens back in from the cold.
By Kenneth Turan FULL REVIEW
75
Lean, mean and mordant black comedy.
By Mike Clark FULL REVIEW
40
All attitude and low aptitude.
By Richard Corliss FULL REVIEW
See All 25 Critic Reviews
10
geewah
Jan 15, 2021
A classic. Witty, smart, violent and quirky, it has all the ingredients to be, and is, one of the best black comedy crime capers ever made. The casting in this movie deserves a mention as well. It is superb.
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6
joshwashere
Mar 23, 2022
This movie is well done; however, it's so dark and dreary that I couldn't enjoy the black humour. If you want a crime film with good acting, a plot that you can't guess, and if you can stomach a miserable tone throughout the movie - this film is for you.
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6
motionpaintings
Nov 21, 2020
My first film that i saw by the coen brothers and i'm not sure what to think of that. A weird story that starts slowly and turns out to be more than disturbing in the end.
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3
imthenoob
Aug 20, 2023
Don't mistake my low score for thinking it is a bad movie. It just wasn't for me. IMO, It was a bit too slow and predictable. I understand for its time that it may have been well-received but I don't believe this is the kind of movie that has aged well at all.
Report
3
Meth-dude
Aug 9, 2016
The movie was boring, unfunny and not that well acted. The characters were all annoying (Especially the pregnant cop) and the story was very stupid and unbelievable. This overrated movie doesn't deserve all the praise it gets.
Report
See All 74 User Reviews

Details

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Production Company PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Working Title Films
Release Date Mar 8, 1996
Duration 1 h 38 m
Rating R
Genres
Tagline A homespun murder story.
Website https://www.facebook.com/Fargo
View All Details

Awards

Academy Awards, USA
• 2 Wins & 7 Nominations
Golden Globes, USA
• 4 Nominations
Online Film & Television Association
• 5 Wins & 12 Nominations

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