Fargo

Play trailer

Fargo

R

Released Mar 15, 1996

1h 37m

Comedy

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

109 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

"Fargo" is a reality-based crime drama set in Minnesota in 1987. Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is a car salesman in Minneapolis who has gotten himself into debt and is so desperate for money that he hires two thugs (Steve Buscemi), (Peter Stormare) to kidnap his own wife. Jerry will collect the ransom from her wealthy father (Harve Presnell), paying the thugs a small portion and keeping the rest to satisfy his debts. The scheme collapses when the thugs shoot a state trooper.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Violent, quirky, and darkly funny, Fargo delivers an original crime story and a wonderful performance by McDormand.

Read Critics Reviews

Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

The North Dakota setting is icily evocative, the supporting characters perfectly pitched (remember Marge's old flame Mike Yanagita?), while the air of sadness that blankets the film like snow adds genuine profundity.

Rated: 5/5

Jun 14, 2021

Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Its brilliance [lies] in making the forces of law and order look as interesting and funny as the bad guys.

Rated: 5/5

Jun 10, 2021

Full Review

Danny Leigh

Financial Times

McDormand aside, the secret might be the perfect pitch of the black comedy, the two elements in rare harmony.

Rated: 5/5

Jun 9, 2021

Full Review

Adrian Martin

Film Critic: Adrian Martin

I think the film is a very careful meditation on what moral position can be meaningfully, intelligently taken, in this mad, apocalyptic world of ours.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 30, 2025

Full Review

Fico Cangiano

CineXpress Podcast

A memorable black comedy that, without a doubt, stands out as one of the best within the Coen brothers' impressive filmography. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 4/5

Mar 27, 2025

Full Review

Tom Ryan

The Sunday Age

Immaculately plotted, beautifully written and superbly shot by British cinematography Roger Deakins, a longtime Coen collaborator, Fargo is a treasure.

Rated: 4/4

Jul 16, 2024

Full Review

Read all reviews

Hao Ian L

For how much brutality there is in Fargo, Coen does seem to bring a clever blend of quirky, dark humor into an otherwise violent crime thriller with profound moral seriousness, the more you sit with it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/09/25

Full Review

Ed .

Films that have a few of Fargo's qualities are quite good. What I think makes Fargo so special is that, above the quirkiness, the humor, the story line, direction, acting is the humanity. It's obvious and easy to have utter contempt for Gaear and the evil deeds he commits. I found Marge's sadness in her speech to him at his capture and custody to be quite moving and something that stays with me, and something that I keep in mind when processing the evil that others do whether in real life or in stories. This film has made a deep impact on me.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/29/25

Full Review

grain j

Dialogue and performances are great, a unique film worth watching

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/09/25

Full Review

CHRISTIAN S

Its perfect. perfect acting. a must see

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/02/25

Full Review

Thomas S

What a ride! The Coen brothers masterfully show just how much emotion, tension, and depth you can pack into just 90 minutes. Fargo lingers long after the credits roll—its snow-drenched atmosphere, quirky characters, and that deceptively harmless car dealer who turns out to be anything but. But the real heart of the film is Marge Gunderson. I can't think of another movie that so precisely captures the contrast between quiet, contented small-town life—complete with a husband painting mallards—and the darkness humans are capable of. Marge sees it all and remains unshaken, a beacon of decency in a world teetering on absurdity. Meanwhile, the two kidnappers spiral into chaos, chasing a high they’ll never reach. A dark comedy, a crime drama, and a quietly profound moral tale all in one. Fargo is simply unforgettable.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/01/25

Full Review

Sergio A

A short story with outstanding performances and characters. I believe this is the Coen brothers’ best film from the 1990s, even surpassing The Big Lebowski.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/27/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Joel Coen

Director

Frances McDormand

Marge Gunderson

Steve Buscemi

Carl Showalter

William H. Macy

Jerry Lundegaard

Peter Stormare

Gaear Grimsrud

Harve Presnell

Wade Gustafson

Fargo: Official Clip - Pancakes

0:55

Fargo: Official Clip - Whoa, Daddy

3:41

Fargo: Official Clip - A Little Bit of Money

2:01

Fargo: Official Clip - Fake Phone Call

1:29

Fargo: Official Clip - Lundegaard's Dealership

1:54

Fargo: Official Clip - Carl and the Parking Attendant

1:04

Fargo: Official Clip - Officer Lou's Police Work

1:40

Fargo: Official Clip - The Wood Chipper

1:55

Fargo: Official Clip - A Finder's Fee

3:31

Fargo: Official Clip - Morning Sickness

2:09

View more videos

Suicide Kings

35%

74%

Suicide Kings

Watchlist

Devil in a Blue Dress

92%

71%

Devil in a Blue Dress

Watchlist

The Negotiator

74%

79%

The Negotiator

Watchlist

Cop Land

75%

67%

Cop Land

Watchlist

Jackie Brown

88%

85%

Jackie Brown

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

87 Fearless Women Movie Heroes Who Inspire Us

The 8 Best Ways to Turn a Movie into an Amazing TV Series

Rank The Freshest Movies of the 1990s

View more photos

Synopsis

"Fargo" is a reality-based crime drama set in Minnesota in 1987. Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is a car salesman in Minneapolis who has gotten himself into debt and is so desperate for money that he hires two thugs (Steve Buscemi), (Peter Stormare) to kidnap his own wife. Jerry will collect the ransom from her wealthy father (Harve Presnell), paying the thugs a small portion and keeping the rest to satisfy his debts. The scheme collapses when the thugs shoot a state trooper.

Director: Joel Coen
Producer: Ethan Coen
Screenwriter: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Distributor: Gramercy Pictures
Production Co: Gramercy Pictures, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Rating: R (Sexuality|Language|Strong Violence)
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 15, 1996, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 27, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $24.5M
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, Stereo, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Most Popular at Home Now