DVD review from The Movie Snob:

Fargo (B). Yes, I have only just now gotten around to seeing this modern film noir by the Coen brothers. It is a pretty dark tale about a sad sack's desperate attempt to stave off bankruptcy by staging the kidnapping of his wife and having her wealthy father foot the ransom. Little goes according to plan, which is not surprising when Steve Buscemi shows up as one of the two kidnappers. Frances McDormand won an Oscar, I believe, for her portrayal of the very pregnant small-town police chief who is a lot more on the ball than her frequent use of "jeez" and "you betcha" might indicate. She's good, no question, but to me William H. Macy steals the show as the poor schlub who concocts the scheme. Whether he's quailing before his blustering father-in-law (and boss) or transparently lying to his customers at the car dealership where he works, Macy is picture-perfect as the pathetic loser whose plans spiral horribly out of control. Worth a viewing.