FARGO. PILOT SCREENPLAY REVIEW.

SCREENPLAY REVIEW

FARGO PILOT

Noah Hawley 

Based on the film by Joel & Ethan Coen

The Fargo pilot script does a great job of setting the scene and the status quo immediately. 

As the screenplay begins, we are introduced to our Antagonist, Lorne Malvo, he crashes his car swerving away from a Deer, thumps are coming from the boot. As the car crashes, a man climbs out of the boot and runs away. Not yet knowing how he fits into the picture of what’s to come, this is a tantalising opener that captures the readers attention immediately. We know he’s bad news. This is made clear not only by the events depicted, but the description given to us indicates an absence of emotion and a Man with seemingly few ties to the World he inhabits, an enigmatic Character:

“LORNE MALVO, age unknown, birth place unknown, sits behind the wheel, his breath white with frost. If he minds he doesn’t show it.”

Events follow which begin to create questions and intrigue for the reader, peaking their interest. Why is there a man in the boot? Why is Lorne so cool and collected about this?

Lester Nygaard. Portrayed by the brilliant Martin Freeman

In contrast to this, we’re then introduced to our Protagonist, Lester Nygaard, an overly polite, apparently spineless Minnesotan who lives under the reign of his Wife, who constantly degrades and emasculates him. Hawley excellently describes Lester as,

 

“—the kind of guy who apologises when you step on his foot.” 

This is a clear, concise overview that informs us immediately of the characteristics of our Protagonist. It paints a picture of a man in discontent, he is distracted and disconnected from the seemingly all too familiar situation he finds himself in. His Wife, Pearl, discusses the success of Lester’s brother, an obvious point of contention for Lester, who pails in comparison. Looking to remove himself from the verbal onslaught that he is receiving, his Wife is drowned out as the diegetic sound of the washing machine takes priority, the screenplay again eloquently describes Lester’s situation, saying that, 

“The washing machine is acting like a caged animal, roaring and bucking. Lester stares at it, hypnotized. We get the sense he’s looking at his own trapped heart.”

After an unsuccessful sales pitch, Lester steps out of his insurance practise and we are introduced to Sam Hess, a high-school bully who hasn’t changed a bit. He is cornered by Hess, who seeks to humiliate him and triumphantly recalls past-times bullying Lester and even having sexual relations with his wife. Lester does nothing, we know he’s powerless here. The crux of this event is Sam fakes throwing a punch at Lester, who turns to run and  crashes into a window, breaking his nose.

Fargo is unusual in the sense that it feels as though there are multiple inciting incidents, the first being the chance encounter when the two characters collide, subtly and naturally, in a hospital waiting room. Malvo is there, attending to a head wound he suffered in the crash, while Lester sits next to him nursing his broken nose with an ice pack. The two men interact for the first time as Malvo probes him about his broken nose, he plays Devils advocate, deliberately inspiring anger in Lester towards Hess. After Malvo suggests that a man like Sam Hess doesn’t deserve to live, Lester’s anger reaches a climax, 

LESTER

Heck, you’re so sure about it, maybe you should just kill him for me. 

MALVO (beat) 

Are you asking me to kill this man? 

There’s now a shift in tone on the page than we’ve seen in the duration of the conversation, things become tense, we feel the contrast of the two Characters, Malvo, willing to action Lester’s innermost feelings and Lester, with his emotions bubbling to the surface, almost personified by Malvo’s malevolence. The exchange ends with Lester left confused and concerned, he doesn’t know whether they were just “blowing off steam” or whether there’s something more to this.

Lester and Malvo meet in the Hospital waiting room

Emotions are progressively built up from here on, it is continually reenforced that Lester is a loser, good for nothing, and who can’t stand up for himself. Life chips away at him and this can be felt reading the screenplay, his dialogue breaks, he contradicts himself. The major incident takes place when one evening, during another verbal onslaught, Lester grabs a hammer and murders his wife. Not knowing what to do, he calls Malvo for help. Their lives now joined by the secret that they share.

Hawley goes on to introduce us to other members of the ensemble cast, layering complexity and great storytelling through a variety of perspectives, their lives all intertwining with the events that unfold- A policewoman investigating the murder of Pearl, two hitmen intent on killing Malvo.

Having watched Fargo, I can now appreciate how well the screenplay has been adapted from the script to screen. The entire series is excellent, much to the testament of the screenplay. The casting is excellent and it has an authentic, Coen brothers atmosphere to the whole thing that Hawley has excellently recreated. Of course, being serialised, it’s impossible to discuss a resolution from the Pilot script alone, but overall it excellently demonstrates how powerful storytelling can be when structure is fully understood. The richness of the story lies in the huge contrast of the Characters desires and needs, and through their own individual arcs, they work to resolve their personal conflicts whilst also informing the ‘bigger picture’ of the story. The stakes are high for everyone and we know that these Characters cannot coexist in harmony and this makes for an exciting watch.