"Fargo" is the quintessential Coen Brothers film, but also their most overrated. It's a quirky dark comedy that essentially sees a cinematic crime story performed by ordinary Midwesterners. We are so used to the dramatic conventions that films follow to the point that realistic characters end up looking goofy and awkward. As usual with the Coen Brothers, plans are made to go wrong, the characters who act cinematic have no credibility whatsoever, and those who are down-to-earth end up looking the most cinematic.

It's a film full of memorable, meticulously constructed scenes and unique characters, yet I wouldn't call it a masterpiece. In particular, the humor relied a bit too much on the accent and didn't always click with me. There are also a few dull moments like the Yanagita scenes that brought the pacing of the story down and were not even that funny.