Fargo: Coen Brothers’ 1996 Crime Classic Finds New Streaming Home

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A highly acclaimed Coen Brothers film, often ranked among the greatest of the 1990s and the best crime movies ever made, is now available on HBO Max. The movie, released in 1996, has a new streaming home.

As a film buff, one of the things I love about Fargo is how it brilliantly messes with genre conventions. It starts with what seems like a typical crime setup, but the Coen brothers inject this wonderfully quirky, almost screwball comedy vibe, and it’s all set against this incredibly charming, yet strange, backdrop of the American Midwest. The story kicks off with Jerry, a struggling car salesman in Minnesota, who gets desperate and tries to arrange a kidnapping of his wife, hoping to get a ransom from her wealthy father. Of course, nothing goes according to plan, and things quickly escalate with tragic consequences.

Fargo was written, directed, and produced by the Coen Brothers. Joel Coen officially directed the film, Ethan Coen was the producer, and they both shared credit for writing the screenplay. The movie features a talented cast including Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Harve Presnell, and Peter Stormare.

Renowned film critic Roger Ebert declared Fargo the top movie of 1996 and ranked it as one of the best films of the entire 1990s – specifically, his fourth favorite. He then explained his reasoning, writing:

Frances McDormand is almost guaranteed an Oscar nomination for this performance. It feels authentic in every scene, but subtly builds into something surprisingly powerful overall. Written by Ethan and Joel Coen (with Joel directing and Ethan producing), the film takes a true story from 1987 Minnesota and transforms it into a hilarious and heartwarming comedy – a movie that constantly surprises and delights. Films like this are what make cinema so special.

Fargo is a One-of-a-Kind Masterpiece

You know, Ebert really nailed it with Fargo. He predicted Frances McDormand would win Best Actress, and he was right! The Coens took home the Oscar for Original Screenplay too. That was pretty much all the gold Fargo got that night – two wins out of seven nominations. It was cool seeing Joel Coen up for Best Director and William H. Macy for Supporting Actor, and the film itself was even nominated for Best Picture, but sadly, it didn’t quite take those home.

Many critics, including Ebert, praised Fargo. Rotten Tomatoes gives it a “Certified Fresh” rating of 94%, with critics agreeing that the film is a darkly funny and original crime story, featuring a great performance by Frances McDormand. Audiences also love it, giving it a 92% positive rating on the site.

In 2006, the Library of Congress selected the film Fargo for preservation in the United States National Film Registry, recognizing its cultural, historical, and artistic importance. In 2014, FX debuted a television series also called Fargo. Each season of the show presents a unique story inspired by the film’s quirky, Midwestern crime style. Five seasons have aired so far.

Fargo is now available to stream on HBO Max.

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2026-01-02 16:06