This was a merely okay movie which has been blown way out of proportion by the easily swayed and entertainable masses. For me, a movie isn't truly amazing unless the quirky performances are standout and the script is multi-layered and full of twists and turns. This movie is predictable and the performances almost all blend together. People commend Frances McDormand for her performance in this, but I think William H. Macy is the only real show-stealer out of the whole cast, including Buscemi who is underutilized. There are a couple of really good cinematographic shots, such as Macy leaving the office building of his father-in-law when it looks like he is going to jump from the building, either out of disappointment or from incompetence of the plot. The actors all use heavy "Minnesota accents" but it seems more like a ploy to make fun of and laugh at people's speech. The detective work done in the movie is at best mediocre, and many of the tangents which the story goes on don't pay off nearly enough. The very end scene is okay as far as tangent storylines go, but the rest are half-in on building any character at all outside of the story. The 90s haircuts, cars, and atmosphere are kind of interesting, but this wasn't intended to be a period piece. The Coen brothers have made quite a few movies, and this one is one of the ones people always say is among their best. I like the Coen brothers' style a lot of the time, but this is far from being as good as The Big Lebowski and is hardly as inspired. From the opening credits' false claim that it is a "True Story," to the ending with the woodchipper, this was a movie you can just go without.