I really enjoyed this movie. The story and the plot are not all that crazy (compared to a lot of movies, I mean), but it's the actors and the very simple people they portray that make it so enjoyable. To these simple, Minnesota folk in the movie, the story and the premise is pretty crazy. Seeing how all of them react to the kidnapping and the ensuing mishaps is great fun.

The Coen brothers are so amazing for their ability to bring us into people's lives we aren't used to seeing in other movies. I greatly admire their work and their courage to tell stories they want to tell. They had to know that some people would be turned off by the movie (a notion supported by some of the angry reviewers on here), but they really don't seem to care. I'm glad that this movie garnered them critical claim. Despite the "English Patients" Oscar win, it was the best movie on 1996.