This 95% Fresh Masterpiece Just Turned 30 – And It's Still the Best Crime Comedy Ever Made

April 5 marked the 30th anniversary of the release of the Coen brothers' Fargo – this dark comedy about a series of murders earned the directors their first Oscar and became their first commercial success.

The magic of Fargo remains strong today – the film inspired the popular TV series of the same name and continues to attract new fans.

It's a movie where chilling horror meets absurd humor and where a pregnant woman behind the wheel of a police car turns out to be the only sane person.

What Is 'Fargo' About?

During the cold winter of 1987, car salesman Jerry finds himself in financial trouble. To shake down his wealthy father-in-law, Wade, Jerry hires two thugs named Carl and Gaear at a bar in Fargo.

The plan was simple: kidnap Jerry's wife, collect the ransom, and pay off his debts. Wade proves more accommodating than expected, however, calling off the kidnapping is too late.

As the case progresses, the accomplices leave a bloody trail across two states – the bodies mount, and the situation spirals out of control. Pregnant Marge, the police chief of Brainerd, Minnesota, takes over the investigation.

Is the Famous Caption "This Is a True Story" Actually True?

Fargo opens with the famous title card: "This is a true story. The events depicted in this film took place in Minnesota in 1987. At the request of the survivors, the names have been changed. Out of respect for the dead, the rest has been told exactly as it occurred."

Over the past thirty years, a mythology has grown around this obvious hoax. After the movie's release, the Coen brothers spoke about a newspaper article that inspired the script.

Researchers have uncovered similar events that took place near St. Louis Park in 1963, where the brothers grew up. However, in the 2000s, Joel Coen finally set the record straight, saying that the only thing you can believe about that title card is that it is a true story.

Even the setting itself turned out to be fictional – not a single scene was filmed in Fargo.

'Fargo' Was Genius Enough to Rival Quentin Tarantino Himself

In the mid-1990s, the Coen brothers were on par with the era's greatest wunderkind, Quentin Tarantino. However, unlike Tarantino, the Coens chronically failed to break even at the box office.

Fargo marked a turning point: the Coens returned to familiar locations and worked with a proven team, including cinematographer Roger Deakins and Joel's wife, Frances McDormand, who won an Oscar for her role as Marge.

Fargo is the quintessential Coen brothers movie. Previously recognized only in the film festival circuit, Fargo brought the Coens enormous commercial success and an Oscar for Best Screenplay.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Fargo'?

• Fargo has 95% from critics and 92% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 8.1/10.

• On Letterboxd, Fargo scored 4.1/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Fargo'?

Fargo is available to stream on HBO Max.