Fargo (1996): The Coen Brothers' "Funny Looking" Dark Comedy | Ft. Katie & Nat of The VHS Club

Fargo (1996) turns 30 this year. On this episode of The Cinema Psycho Show, hosts Brian and John are joined by Katie and Nat from The VHS Club podcast to revisit the Coen brothers' Minnesota crime classic — including why detective Marge Gunderson spent most of the investigation with almost nothing to go on but a single vague description of her "funny looking" suspect.

In this episode:

Why Fargo's dialogue rewards a rewatch more than almost any crime film of the '90s Marge Gunderson's investigation, and how one bystander's description of a "funny looking" suspect drives the entire back half of the movie The real production story behind the movie's snow (there wasn't enough of it) A live read-through of listener and Letterboxd reviews of Fargo, 30 years later Final ratings and verdict from Brian, John, Katie, and Nat Quick answers:

Is Fargo based on a true story? No. Despite the film's opening title card, Fargo is a work of fiction — a detail the Coens have confirmed for decades, and one the hosts dig into on this episode. Where does Fargo take place? Mostly in Brainerd, Minnesota — not the city of Fargo, North Dakota, despite the title. Who stars in Fargo? Frances McDormand as Marge Gunderson, William H. Macy as Jerry Lundegaard, Steve Buscemi as Carl Showalter, and Peter Stormare as Gaear Grimsrud. Who directed Fargo? Joel and Ethan Coen (the Coen brothers), released in 1996. CHAPTERS:

Introduction [00:00]

Diverting from horror to the frozen tundra [01:17]

Welcome back the VHS club [02:12]

Why Fargo is a summer movie [02:46]

The setting is the main character [05:30]

A synopsis from IMDb [07:42]

The truth about the 'true story' [09:57]

Meet Jerry Lundegaard and the goons [11:20]