The best black comedy of all time?

It’s been 20 years since the release of Fargo.

And I still remember watching it for the first time.

At 9 or 10 years old, neo-noir comedy didn’t translate. It was even more sinister than the serious stuff; infused with a cold absurdity that made the world seem random, violent, unpredictable.

As a kid, there was nothing funny about the cloistered folk of Fargo and their now-infamous accent.

I didn’t get it. It was all wrong.

But these Minnesota caricatures weren’t wrong – they were hilarious, uncomfortable and perfect. As was the film itself. I just needed another 5 years to appreciate it.

Born of Coen brother genius, Fargo snared Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival, 7 nominations at the 69th Academy Awards (and 2 wins), plus an approval rating of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.

In 2006, the film was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and inducted into the United States National Film Registry for preservation, making it one of six films to have been preserved in their first year of eligibility. (reference: Wikipedia).

And if you haven’t seen it? You should. It’s a modern classic. Brutal, quirky and even spawning its own successful spin-off (see: the TV series by the same name starring Billy Bob Thornton – just as worthwhile as the original).

Happy 20 year anniversary, Fargo. You scared the shit out of me as a kid… but with two decades of cellaring, you’re tastier than ever.

Wanna grab your own copy? Check out the collectors edition, here. Also, the TV series is equally as compelling. Here’s the link to check it out.