Fargo: Falling Short of Its Masterpiece Reputation

If the title doesn’t convey what I was going for, this movie is overrated.

I even debated whether I should spend time documenting watching a movie that I did not like. After all, I did not write about The BarberShop or The Bourne Identity too. But then the movie’s reputation gives it a sheen that I want dimmed. I don’t mind enjoying a simple movie. I just did not like Fargo basking in glory.

Fargo often gets hailed as a masterpiece of dark comedy and crime storytelling, but its reputation is inflated when you dig into its cracks. The film follows Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy), a bumbling car salesman who hires two thugs (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to kidnap his wife for ransom money, only for the plan to spiral into chaos. Frances McDormand’s Marge Gunderson, the pregnant police chief, steps in to unravel the mess. It’s quirky, bloody, and has that Coen Brothers stamp—but does it really deserve the pedestal it’s on?

First, the pacing drags. Sure, the slow-burn Midwest vibe is intentional, but it often feels like the film is meandering through snowdrifts just to flex its atmosphere. Scenes linger longer than they need to, and the deliberate tempo tested my patience, especially when the plot isn’t as intricate as its fans claim. The story’s simplicity—greedy guy botches a crime, gets caught—gets dressed up in a bit of stylistic flair that it’s mistaken for depth.

Then there’s the humor. The “Minnesota nice” schtick and thick accents are played for laughs, but it borders on caricature. What’s meant to be dry and subtle can feel like a cheap jab at small-town life, and the Coens lean too hard on it. Buscemi’s fast-talking Carl Showalter is a standout, but the comedy elsewhere—like the awkward silences or Jerry’s stuttering—feels forced, not clever.

Add in all misses – minimal character development, uninteresting and uninterested characters, uninspired dialogues,populated exclusively by incompetent and stupid people – and you have Fargo.

Fargo feels like it’s coasting on its own cult status from the Coen brothers . It is a good thing they have redemption in The Big Lebowski. Which is as eminently watchable as Fargo is missable.