Fargo • The Next Reel

Joel and Ethan Coen may have won big at Cannes with "Barton Fink," but it wasn't until 1996's "Fargo" was nominated for 7 Oscars including Best Picture, and won Best Actress (Frances McDormand) and Best Original Screenplay for the Coens that Hollywood really started believing that these guys could deliver the goods. (They did fail miserably in Hollywood with their previous effort, "The Hudsucker Proxy," after all.) Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Drama by the Brothers Coen series with our discussion on this homespun tale of murder, "Fargo." We talk about the nature of the setting — North Dakota and Minnesota — and what that brings to the film. We chat about the brilliant talent — from William H. Macy to McDormand to Steve Buscemi to Peter Stormare to Harve Presnell — and what each of them brings to the table. We discuss the nature of protagonist vs. antagonist in a film structured like this and what reversals do to the storytelling process. We delve into the beautiful cinematography of Roger Deakins and explore what he was doing with the camera in this film. And we go back and forth on the Mike Yanagita character as far as what it means in the context of this film. We love this film and talk at length about it. Tune in! Support The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next Reel Film PodcastSitting in the DarkConnect With Us:Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream:Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Letterboxd Pro/Patron discount | Audible