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Fargo (1996)

 -  Crime | Drama  -  5 April 1996 (USA)
8.2
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Ratings: 8.2/10 from 261,879 users   Metascore: 85/100
Reviews: 730 user | 143 critic | 24 from Metacritic.com

Jerry Lundegaard's inept crime falls apart due to his and his henchmen's bungling and the persistent police work of the quite pregnant Marge Gunderson.

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Title: Fargo (1996)

Fargo (1996) on IMDb 8.2/10

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Top 250 #129 | Won 2 Oscars. Another 59 wins & 32 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Kristin Rudrüd ...
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Sally Wingert ...
Kurt Schweickhardt ...
Larissa Kokernot ...
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Shep Proudfoot (as Steven Reevis)
Warren Keith ...
Steve Edelman ...
Morning Show Host
Sharon Anderson ...
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Storyline

Jerry works in his father-in-law's car dealership and has gotten himself in financial problems. He tries various schemes to come up with money needed for a reason that is never really explained. It has to be assumed that his huge embezzlement of money from the dealership is about to be discovered by father-in-law. When all else falls through, plans he set in motion earlier for two men to kidnap his wife for ransom to be paid by her wealthy father (who doesn't seem to have the time of day for son-in-law). From the moment of the kidnapping, things go wrong and what was supposed to be a non-violent affair turns bloody with more blood added by the minute. Jerry is upset at the bloodshed, which turns loose a pregnant sheriff from Brainerd, MN who is tenacious in attempting to solve the three murders in her jurisdiction. Written by Anonymous

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

ransom | money | blood | murder | kidnapping | See more »

Taglines:

A lot can happen in the middle of nowhere. See more »

Genres:

Crime | Drama

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, language and sexuality | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

Country:

|

Language:

Release Date:

5 April 1996 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Фарго  »

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$137,301 (USA) (19 July 1996)

Gross:

$24,547,547 (USA) (4 April 1997)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

About thirty minutes into the film when Peter Stormare's character Gaear Grimsrud chases after the eyewitnesses in the car, he says, "Jävla fitta!" which in Swedish means 'fucking c*nt!' See more »

Goofs

Some billboards, including a "Miller Genuine Draft" billboard in the Twin Cities, did not exist in 1987. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Jerry Lundegaard: I'm, uh, Jerry Lundegaard.
Carl Showalter: You're Jerry Lundegaard?
Jerry Lundegaard: Ya. Shep Proudfoot said...
Carl Showalter: Shep said you'd be here at 7:30. What gives, man?
Jerry Lundegaard: Shep said 8:30.
Carl Showalter: We've been sitting here an hour. He's
[motioning to Gaer]
Carl Showalter: peed three times already.
Jerry Lundegaard: I'm sure sorry. Shep told me 8:30. It was a mix-up, I guess.
See more »

Crazy Credits

A symbol similar to the Artist Formerly Known as Prince is in the credits as "victim in field", but it is not him, it is J. Todd Anderson, the storyboard artist. See more »


Soundtracks

"Big City"
Written by Merle Haggard and Dean Holloway
Shade Tree Music, Inc.
Performed by Merle Haggard
Courtesy of Epic Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

You betcha!!
13 March 2003 | by (fairview, nj) – See all my reviews

FARGO (1996) **** Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Harve Presnell, Peter Stormare. Dark comic undertones and excellent character actor performances dominate this richly macabre crime story gone awry flick by the Coen brothers(Joel and Ethan) involving pathetic used car salesman Macy so hard up for money and respect (not necessarily in that order) that he hires a pair of dim-witted thugs to kidnap his wife for ransom from his father-in-law's vast wealth in a plot-line that unravels with nice little twists and snags. McDormand (Best Actress) is perfect as a pregnant Midwestern sheriff on the case with a no-nonsense and homespun effect with her tactics of crime solving. Great cinematography by Roger A. Deakins accentuates the bleak winterscape of unearthed uneasiness. Nominated for Best Supporting Actor Macy, Best Director, Best Cinematography and Academy Award winner for Best Original Screenplay.


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