The Coen brothers are cinematic geniuses and Fargo demonstrates this genius beautifully. The film blends casual (even mundane) 'Minnesota nice' with the harsh macabre of crime and death.

What starts off as a simple crime story slowly adds more layers, becoming increasingly complex as the crime begins to get out of hand. Whilst many films may struggle with such a convoluted storyline, the Coen brothers manage to deal with this in such a beautifully intricate way that prevents the viewer from ever being confused or disinterested but instead the audience can be truly impressed by the Coen's ability to handle such a story and pull it off so beautifully.

The success of the film, however, is not entirely thanks to the brothers but credit is also due to the magnificent acting talent. William H Macy and Steve Buscemi both give amazing performances but the true star of the show is Marge Gunderson, played to perfection by Frances McDormand. This film is both great entertainment and beautiful art.