Fargo (Special Edition)

Reviewed by:
Paul Ulane

With an ensemble cast featuring William H. Macy, Frances McDormand, and Steve Buscemi, the Coen brothers’ defining exercise in quirk shows us that the wholesome goodness of the Midwest is little more than a catalyst for multiple homicide. The “true story” follows a bumbling car salesman (Macy) and his hired henchmen (Buscemi) as they stave off a pregnant, but nosey, local police officer (McDormand) through a series of run-ins that end in uncomfortable laughs, funny accents, and the occasional murder. The Special Edition’s flurry of extras uncover the thought processes of the film’s writers and directors, Joel and Ethan Coen, during production. “Minnesota Nice” dissects the attitude and accent underlying the film, with the original Dictaphone tape the actors used to forge their Fargo inflections. Other tips include how to feign snow in an unseasonably warm Minnesota winter and how to make violence funny. Finally, the Coen brothers’ interview with Charlie Rose treats us to deadpan answers about this “true story,” while other interviews fearlessly play up Fargo’s farce. Not too bad for a couple of guys who, Macy says, “look like two stoners who someone handed a million dollars to and said, ‘Go make a movie.’”