A man hires a couple of goons to kidnap his wife so he can split with them the ransom that her father will pay. Of course, nothing goes as planned. The Coen Brothers are in peak form here - from the clever script to the marvelous visual presentation of the bleak Minnesota winter. In fact, they have yet to surpass this superb black comedy. Buscemi and Stormare are hilarious as the kidnappers with opposite personalities. Macy is perfectly cast as the schmuck who hires the kidnappers. McDormand won a well deserved Oscar for her spot-on performance as a pregnant policewoman. Even minor characters (such as the hookers) are memorable and the score is terrific.