Fargo vs. Drop Dead Gorgeous, Pt 1.
Which Minnesota Movie is the Most Minnesotan: An Unscientific Study.
Before we get started, I must make a few things about this series abundantly clear:
Fargo is a city in North Dakota, but anyone who knows anything knows Fargo the movie largely takes place in Minnesota and is, at its core, a deeply Minnesotan movie.
There are other movies about, or set in, Minnesota aside from Fargo and Drop Dead Gorgeous but for many reasons both good and nonsensical, we will not be discussing them in this series. On a related note, New In Town is a terrible movie and should be stricken from the record and Eternal-Sunshined from my mind.
Fargo is also a TV series. We’re not talking about that right now.
Onward.
When it comes to pitting Fargo and Drop Dead Gorgeous against each other to decide which is most Minnesotan, I think we’re best off dividing this whole issue into categories, in which I will award arbitrary points in the form of Loons, based exclusively on my biases and mood. How many parts will the series be? Impossible to say. Is it totally absurd to spend possibly weeks discussing only these two movies? Yes, but that’s no reason not to do it.
Which brings us to one more preamble point: Why am I doing this?
Answer: Because no one can stop me.
I will remind you now, and over and over again throughout this series, that we are not here to determine which film is better, but rather which is more Minnesotan. What does it mean for a movie to be Minnesotan? To me, this is a mysterious combination of factors that include but are not limited to: Minnesotans involved in the production, general Minnesotan characteristics infused into the film itself, locations from within Minnesota, and whatever else I choose along the way.
Let us begin with…
The Main Characters & The Actors Who Play Them
Both films feature fantastic ensemble casts made up of a combination of actors who were very well-known at the time and some absolute newcomers — even some locals! I’m starting with a really difficult comparison I will immediately regret.
Let’s take a look at the main characters in each film.
FARGO
Jerry Lundegaard, played by Willam H. Macy - Excellent performance, great accent, deeply Minnesotan avoidance of the real issues at hand. 5 Loons.
Marge Gunderson, played by Frances McDormand - She is perfect in this movie. No notes. Carries the whole thing on her shoulders, honestly. So many quotable bits. “Oh, I just think I’m gonna barf!” Every line of serious inquiry is delivered like a breezy greeting. 10 Loons.
Carl Showalter, played by Steve Buscemi - A very fun villainous turn and I particularly enjoy him in combination with Storemare. 4 Loons.
Gaear Grimsrud, played by Peter Stormare - His demand to go to “Pancakes House” always makes me laugh and he brings an excellent brutality to the character. 5 Loons.
DROP DEAD GORGEOUS
Amber Atkins, played by Kirsten Dunst - Perfectly captures the essence of youthful hope and a natural overachieving personality in a small Minnesota town. 8 Loons.
Gladys Leeman, played by Kirstie Alley - This here is a great, great villain. There are so many little nuances in this character that get me every time. +9 Loons. But of course, she offers coffee and bars at the beginning so she gets an extra point for that. Total of 10 Loons.
Becky Ann Leeman, played by Denise Richards - She gets the job done. I assume the lack of accent was a conscious choice to set her apart from everyone else. Some great stand-out moments, though. No one will ever forget that dance number wherein her partner is Jesus on a cross which she drags across the stage, set to the tune of Can’t Take My Eyes Off You. 5 Loons.
Annette Atkins, played by Ellen Barkin - I have known Minnesota mothers exactly like the one she played. Pitch-perfect interpretation, though I suppose most of the credit for “And go get my smokes!” should technically go to the writer. Her clear love for her daughter in combination with her many flaws and past disappointments make her lovable while imperfect. 6 Loons.
Total Main Cast Score
Fargo: 24 Loons
Drop Dead Gorgeous: 29 Loons
Can Fargo make up the difference? We’ll see! Next up: ensemble and single-scene characters from Mike Yanagita and the gal from Chaska who thought that guy was kinda funny lookin’, to the chain-smoking choreographer and the one character in Drop Dead Gorgeous that aged like a gallon of milk. And did you know Fargo and Drop Dead Gorgeous share a cast member? They sure do!
Disagree with me? Let’s fight!
What other categories of comparison would you use?
Another hot-dish-level home run, Page. Can’t wait for round two.