Fargo (1996)
Few films strike the perfect balance between dark humour, bleak violence, and unforgettable characters quite like Fargo (1996). In this week's Born to Watch deep dive, the boys return to the bitter cold of Minnesota to revisit a Coen Brothers classic in our full Fargo Movie 1996 Review. Whitey, Gow and Morgz each recount their own memories of first seeing Fargo, or in Dan's case, pretending he remembers anything from the 90s, before jumping headfirst into one of the most uniquely crafted crime films ever made.
The episode kicks off with the lads debating their first screening. Whitey vividly remembers dragging everyone to the Dendy at Martin Place, feeling like a highbrow film buff discovering something special. Gow recalls the off-beat charm hitting him straight away. Dan, naturally, remembers nothing, except that he probably recommended the film, selected the seats, and probably did everything else. Classic Morgz. From there, the group dives into just how extraordinary Fargo's cast was at the time. The Coens pulled together a line-up of "relative nobodies" only to turn them into household names nearly three decades later.
The chat quickly turns to Minnesota cold weather, obscure fast-food chains, and one of the great running bits of the episode, exactly how many times Morgz allegedly found himself "accidentally" next to someone mid-romp during their travels. The boys also unpack the brilliance of Frances McDormand's Marge Gunderson, who doesn't even appear in the film's first 34 minutes but completely owns the narrative once she arrives. She's sharp, funny, methodical, and easily one of the greatest characters of the '90s.
Whitey breaks down the film's critical reception, comparing its Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb scores with those of past Born to Watch heavy hitters, such as Jaws, Rocky, The Terminator, and Catch Me If You Can. Morgs jumps in with Film School for Fuckheads, exploring how the Coens weaponised "Minnesota Nice" to create tension using politeness, silence, and awkwardness as narrative devices. From the meticulously written stuttering dialogue in William H. Macy's script to the off-kilter pacing of small-town conversations, the Coens built an atmosphere where the horror is subtle, creeping, and drenched in snow.
Gow rolls through the cast, shining a spotlight on Steve Buscemi's legendary "funny looking" performance and the near-silent menace of Peter Stormare, who delivers only 18 lines across the film yet becomes one of its most iconic figures. The boys get into the famous wood-chipper scene, the fake "true story" marketing trick, and how half the audience in 1996 genuinely believed the events were real.
There's also classic Born to Watch chaos, from detours into Shameless, to the worst movie endings ever made, to hookers in Hawaii, to Playboy magazines in glove boxes, to the eternal question: "Would you make sure your licence plates were right if you'd just kidnapped someone?" Just another Wednesday on Born to Watch.
The crew rounds things out with The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, celebrating the film's tight 94-minute runtime, near-perfect dialogue, incredible performances, legendary cinematography from Roger Deakins, and the deep satisfaction of a crime story where normal, everyday people take centre stage.
Fargo isn't just a film, it's a vibe. A cold, bleak, funny, violent, polite vibe that the Born to Watch boys unpack with equal parts nostalgia and nonsense. Strap in, grab your Arby’s, and enjoy one of our best episodes yet.
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JOIN THE CONVERSATION
- Is Fargo the greatest dark comedy of the '90s?
- Does the wood-chipper still make you squirm?
- And is Marge Gunderson the most likable cop in movie history?
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