Editing Fargo (1996 film) (section)

== Reception ==
On [[review aggregator]] website [[Rotten Tomatoes]], ''Fargo'' holds an approval rating of 95% based on 111 reviews, with an average rating of 8.8/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Violent, quirky, and darkly funny, ''Fargo'' delivers an original crime story and a wonderful performance by McDormand."<ref>{{cite web|title=Fargo (1996)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fargo|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014133308/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fargo|archive-date=October 14, 2020|access-date=May 12, 2022|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]}}</ref> At [[Metacritic]], the film has a weighted average score of 86 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".<ref>{{cite web|title=Fargo Reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/fargo|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014133402/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/fargo|archive-date=October 14, 2020|website=[[Metacritic]]}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{cite web|title=Find CinemaScore|url=https://www.cinemascore.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102130540/https://www.cinemascore.com/|archive-date=January 2, 2018|access-date=November 4, 2020|publisher=[[CinemaScore]]|format=Type "Fargo" in the search box}}</ref>
[[File:Frances_McDormand_2015_(cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Frances McDormand]]'s performance garnered critical acclaim, earning her the [[Academy Award for Best Actress]].]]
Arnold Wayne Jones, writing for the ''[[Dallas Observer]]'', called the film an "illuminating amalgam of emotion and thought", praising the directing and writing from the [[Coen brothers]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Jones |first=Arnold Wayne |date=March 7, 1996 |title=The perfect crime |url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/issues/1996-03-07/film.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010510054803/https://www.dallasobserver.com/issues/1996-03-07/film.html |archive-date=May 10, 2001 |website=[[Dallas Observer]]}}</ref> From ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'', [[Lisa Schwarzbaum]] lauded the performance from Frances McDormand and stated that the film was "dizzily rich, witty, and satisfying".<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Schwarzbaum |first=Lisa |author-link=Lisa Schwarzbaum |date=March 29, 1996 |title=Fargo |url=https://ew.com/article/1996/03/29/fargo-2/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010715043156/http://www.ew.com/ew/archive/0,1798,1%7C17500%7C0%7Cfargo,00.html |archive-date=July 15, 2001}}</ref> In ''[[The New Yorker]]'', [[Anthony Lane]] singled out McDormand for praise: "Her character—seven months pregnant, polite to a fault, smart yet slow—is only a breath away from caricature, yet McDormand unearths a surprising decency there, and in the process she pretty well rescues the film."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Lane |first=Anthony |author-link=Anthony Lane |date=March 18, 1996 |title=Republicans with Guns |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1996/03/25/republicans-with-guns |url-status=live |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117164315/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1996/03/25/republicans-with-guns |archive-date=November 17, 2020 |access-date=November 10, 2020}}</ref> ''[[USA Today]]'' journalist Mike Clark also praised the performance of McDormand:

{{Blockquote|McDormand's uproariously sly-spry performance connects with Roger Deakins' bleakly beautiful photography to create one of the Coens' most consistently successful outings, albeit one that plays it even closer to the vest than usual. [...] For a nifty bit of nastiness from two of our most dependably provocative filmmakers, ''Fargo'' will fill the bill.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/enter/movies/lef195.htm|title=Bleak, funny 'Fargo' is classic Coen|date=December 1, 1998|first=Mike |last=Clark|work=[[USA Today]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009185126/https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/enter/movies/lef195.htm|archive-date=October 9, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>}}

On the other side of the spectrum, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine film critic [[Richard Corliss]] criticized ''Fargo'' for its use of [[Minnesota nice]], the accent used in the film. In his review, Corliss stated that "After some superb mannerist films, the Coens are back in the deadpan realist territory of ''[[Blood Simple]]'', but without the cinematic elan."<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Corliss |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Corliss |date=March 18, 1996 |title=Swede 'N' Sour |url=https://time.com/time/magazine/archive/1996/dom/960318/cinema.fargo.html |url-status=dead |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010418115618/https://time.com/time/magazine/archive/1996/dom/960318/cinema.fargo.html |archive-date=April 18, 2001 |access-date=October 9, 2020}}</ref> (Conversely, [[Janet Maslin]], in ''[[The New York Times]]'', deemed ''Fargo'' "much more stylish and entertaining" than ''Blood Simple'').<ref>{{Cite news|title=Film Review; Deadly Plot by a Milquetoast Villain|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 8, 1996|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/08/movies/film-review-deadly-plot-by-a-milquetoast-villain.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116090433/https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/08/movies/film-review-deadly-plot-by-a-milquetoast-villain.html|archive-date=November 16, 2020|access-date=November 10, 2020|last1=Maslin|first1=Janet}}</ref> [[James Berardinelli]], writing for his own website, ''ReelThoughts'', gave the film three stars out of five, stating that it was "easy to admire what the Coens are trying to do in ''Fargo'', but more difficult to actually like the film."<ref>{{cite web |author=Berardinelli |first=James |author-link=James Berardinelli |date=March 8, 1996 |title=Fargo |url=http://movie-reviews.colossus.net/movies/f/fargo.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980116145608/http://movie-reviews.colossus.net/movies/f/fargo.html |archive-date=January 16, 1998 |website=ReelThoughts}}</ref>

[[John Simon (critic)|John Simon]] of ''[[The National Review]]'' wrote "The Coen brothers' ''Fargo'' is their best film so far, which isn't saying very much". Simon elaborated further that "''Fargo'' could have been a nice little film noir if they hadn't compounded it with black comedy, absurdism, and folksy farce: Scandinavian–American midwesterners up, or down, to their hickish shenanigans. Some of this surprisingly, works, some of it ranges from the unpalatable to the indigestible".<ref>{{cite book |title=John Simon on Film: Criticism 1982-2001|last1=Simon|first1=John |publisher=Applause Books |year=2005 |pages=493–494}}</ref>

[[Gene Siskel]] and [[Roger Ebert]] both declared ''Fargo'' as the best film of 1996,<ref>{{cite episode |title=Memo to the Academy - 1997 |series=[[At the Movies (1986 TV program)|Siskel & Ebert]] |date=January 18, 1997 |season=11 |number=20 |network=ABC Television |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_wEV0D-Bk8 |access-date=May 15, 2023 |archive-date=May 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230515231244/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_wEV0D-Bk8&gl=US&hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref> with Ebert later ranking it fourth on his list of the best films of the 1990s.<ref>{{cite web |author=Ebert |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Ebert |date=March 8, 1996 |title=Fargo |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/fargo-1996 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410024630/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/fargo-1996 |archive-date=April 10, 2020 |website=[[RogerEbert.com]]}}</ref> ''Fargo'' was added to the [[National Film Registry]] by the [[National Film Preservation Board]] on December 27, 2006.<ref name="National Film Registry" /> In 2010, the [[Independent Film & Television Alliance]] selected the film as one of its "30 Most Significant Independent Films" of the last 30 years.<ref>{{cite web|first=William |last=Yelles|date=September 8, 2010|title=IFTA Picks 30 Most Significant Indie Films|url=https://www.thewrap.com/ifta-picks-30-most-significant-indie-films-20686/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818085416/https://www.thewrap.com/ifta-picks-30-most-significant-indie-films-20686/|archive-date=August 18, 2020|website=[[TheWrap]]}}</ref> The [[Writers Guild of America]] ranked the film's screenplay the 32nd greatest ever.<ref>{{cite web|title=101 Greatest Screenplays|url=http://www.wga.org/writers-room/101-best-lists/101-greatest-screenplays/list|access-date=March 8, 2017|publisher=Writers Guild of America|archive-date=November 22, 2016|archive-url=https://archive.today/20161122211118/http://www.wga.org/writers-room/101-best-lists/101-greatest-screenplays/list|url-status=live}}</ref>

Future North Dakota governor [[Doug Burgum]], whose company [[Great Plains Software]] had its [[initial public offering]] during the film's release, recalled that during investor meetings "100 percent of the first question was about the movie. We had no paper shredders in our office, only woodchippers, we'd answer with a straight face. They'd say: 'Really?!'"<ref name="martin20240630">{{Cite magazine |last=Martin |first=Jonathan |date=2024-06-30 |title=How Dakota Politicians Learned to Manage Trump |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/06/30/dakotas-republican-party-future-00164899 |access-date=2024-06-30 |magazine=Politico}}</ref>

The February 2020 issue of ''[[New York Magazine]]'' lists ''Fargo'' as among "The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars."<ref>{{cite news|title=The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-oscar-best-picture-losers.html|magazine=[[New York Magazine]]|access-date=March 17, 2025}}</ref>

===Accolades===
{| class="wikitable"
!Award⁣
!Date of ceremony⁣
!Category⁣
!Recipients⁣
!Result⁣
!{{Abbr|Ref.|References}}⁣
|-⁣
|rowspan=7| [[Academy Awards]]⁣
|rowspan=7| [[69th Academy Awards|March 24, 1997]]⁣
| [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]⁣
| Ethan Coen
| {{nom}}⁣
| rowspan=7| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1997|title=The 69th Academy Awards {{!}} 1997|website=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]]|date=October 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009125122/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1997|archive-date=October 9, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>⁣
|-⁣
| [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]]⁣
| Joel Coen⁣
| {{nom}}
|-⁣
| [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]⁣
| [[Frances McDormand]]⁣
| {{won}}⁣
|-⁣
| [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]]⁣
| [[William H. Macy]]⁣
| {{nom}}⁣
|-⁣
| [[Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]]⁣
| [[Coen brothers|Joel and Ethan Coen]]⁣
| {{won}}⁣
|-⁣
| [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]]⁣
| [[Roger Deakins]]⁣
| {{nom}}⁣
|-⁣
| [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]]⁣
| [[Coen brothers|Roderick Jaynes]]⁣
| {{nom}}⁣
|-
|rowspan=3| [[American Film Institute]]
| 1998
| [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies]]
| ''Fargo''
| {{center|#84}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-movies/|title=AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (1998 edition)|website=[[American Film Institute]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009124534/https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-movies/|archive-date=October 9, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| June 13, 2000
| [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs]]
| ''Fargo''
| {{center|#93}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-laughs/|title=AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs|website=[[American Film Institute]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009124238/https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-laughs/|archive-date=October 9, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| June 2003
| [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains]]
| Marge Gunderson
| {{center|#33 Hero}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-heroes-villians/|title=AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains|website=[[American Film Institute]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009123717/https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-heroes-villians/|archive-date=October 9, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[American Cinema Editors]]
| 1996
| [[American Cinema Editors Award for Best Edited Feature Film – Dramatic|Best Edited Feature Film]]
| Roderick Jaynes
| {{nom}}
| 
|-
| [[American Society of Cinematographers]]
| 1996
| [[American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases|Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography]]
| Roger Deakins
| {{nom}}
| 
|-
|rowspan=6| [[British Academy Film Awards|BAFTA Film Awards]]
|rowspan=6| [[50th British Academy Film Awards|April 29, 1997]]
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Direction|Best Direction]]
| Joel Coen
| {{won}}
|rowspan=6| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/1997/film|title=Film in 1997|website=[[British Academy Film Awards]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009132142/http://awards.bafta.org/award/1997/film|archive-date=October 9, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
| ''Fargo''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role|Best Actress in a Leading Role]]
| Frances McDormand
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]]
| Joel and Ethan Coen
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]]
| Roger Deakins
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Editing|Best Editing]]
| Roderick Jaynes
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Belgian Film Critics Association]]
| 1997
| [[Grand Prix (Belgian Film Critics Association)|Grand Prix]]
| ''Fargo''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
|rowspan=2| [[Cannes Film Festival]]
|rowspan=2| [[1996 Cannes Film Festival|May 1996]]
| [[Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| Joel Coen
| {{won}}
| rowspan="2" |<ref name="festival-cannes.com" />
|-
| [[Palme d'Or]]
| ''Fargo''
| {{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=2| [[Critics' Choice Awards]]
|rowspan=2| [[2nd Critics' Choice Awards|January 20, 1997]]
| [[Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]
| ''Fargo''
| {{won}}
| rowspan="2" |<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bfca.org/ccawards/1996.php |title=The BFCA Critics' Choice Awards :: 1996 |publisher=[[Critics Choice Association|Broadcast Film Critics Association]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081212034358/http://www.bfca.org/ccawards/1996.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 12, 2008}}</ref>
|-
| [[Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| Frances McDormand
| {{won}}
|-
|rowspan=4| [[Golden Globe Awards]]
|rowspan=4| [[54th Golden Globe Awards|January 19, 1997]]
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy|Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]]
| ''Fargo''
| {{nom}}
|rowspan=4| <ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1997|title=Winners & Nominees 1997|website=[[Golden Globe Awards]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009134434/https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1997|archive-date=October 9, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| Joel Coen
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical|Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical]]
| Frances McDormand
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
| Joel and Ethan Coen
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=7| [[Satellite Awards|Golden Satellite Awards]]
| rowspan=7| [[1st Golden Satellite Awards|January 15, 1997]]
| [[Satellite Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
| ''Fargo''
| {{won}}
|rowspan=7| <ref>{{cite web |author=Errico |first=Marcus |date=January 15, 1997 |title=Cruise Tops Golden Satellite Awards |url=https://www.eonline.com/news/33966/cruise-tops-golden-satellite-awards |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009143621/https://www.eonline.com/news/33966/cruise-tops-golden-satellite-awards |archive-date=October 9, 2020 |website=[[E!]]}}</ref>
|-
| [[Satellite Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| Joel Coen
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture|Best Actress – Drama]]
| Frances McDormand
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture|Best Actor - Drama]]
| William H. Macy
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actor – Drama]]
| [[Steve Buscemi]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Satellite Award for Best Editing|Best Editing]]
| Roderick Jaynes
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Satellite Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]]
| Joel and Ethan Coen
| {{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=6| [[Independent Spirit Awards]]
|rowspan=6| [[12th Independent Spirit Awards|March 22, 1997]]
| [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
| ''Fargo''
| {{won}}
|rowspan=6| <ref>{{cite web |author=Dretzka |first=Gary |date=March 24, 1997 |title='Fargo' Big Winner Among Independents |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-03-24-9703240054-story.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228225440/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-03-24-9703240054-story.html |archive-date=February 28, 2020 |access-date=October 9, 2020 |website=[[Chicago Tribune]]}}</ref>
|-
| [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| Joel Coen
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead|Best Male Lead]]
| William H. Macy
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead|Best Female Lead]]
| Frances McDormand
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
| Joel and Ethan Coen
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]]
| Roger Deakins
| {{won}}
|-
|rowspan=4| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards]]
|rowspan=4| [[1996 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards|December 1996]]
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
| ''Fargo''
| {{Runner-up}}
|rowspan=4| <ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.lafca.net/years/1996.html|title=LAFCA|website=[[Los Angeles Film Critics Association]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113125/http://www.lafca.net/years/1996.html|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| Joel Coen
| {{Runner-up}}
|-
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| Frances McDormand
| {{Runner-up}}
|-
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
| Joel and Ethan Coen
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan=3| [[National Board of Review]]
| rowspan=3| [[National Board of Review Awards 1996|1996]]
| [[National Board of Review: Top Ten Films|Top Ten Films]]
| ''Fargo''
| {{draw|3rd place}}
|
|-
| [[National Board of Review Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| Joel Coen
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-names/best-director/|title=Best Director|website=[[National Board of Review]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009140822/https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-names/best-director/|archive-date=October 9, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[National Board of Review Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| Frances McDormand
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-names/best-actress/|title=Best Actress|website=[[National Board of Review]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009140918/https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-names/best-actress/|archive-date=October 9, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[National Film Preservation Board]]
| December 27, 2006
| [[National Film Registry]]
| ''Fargo''
| {{won|Added}}
| <ref name="National Film Registry">{{cite web |author=Cannady |first=Sheryl |date=December 27, 2006 |title=Librarian of Congress Adds Home Movie, Silent Films and Hollywood Classics to Film Preservation List |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-06-234/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009141255/https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-06-234/ |archive-date=October 9, 2020 |website=[[Library of Congress]]}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=2| [[New York Film Critics Circle]]
| rowspan=2| [[1996 New York Film Critics Circle Awards|January 5, 1997]]
| [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
| ''Fargo''
| {{won}}
| rowspan=2| <ref>{{cite web |author=Maslin |first=Janet |date=December 13, 1996 |title=Critics Choose 'Fargo' As the Best Film of 1996 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/13/movies/critics-choose-fargo-as-the-best-film-of-1996.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009142431/https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/13/movies/critics-choose-fargo-as-the-best-film-of-1996.html |archive-date=October 9, 2020 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>
|-
| Best Actress
| Frances McDormand
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Producers Guild of America Awards]]
| [[8th Golden Laurel Awards|March 12, 1997]]
| [[Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture|Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures]]
| Ethan Coen
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web |title=The 1997 Golden Laurel Awards |url=http://producersguild.com/gla.html |website=Point of View Online |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990501230436/http://producersguild.com/gla.html |archive-date=May 1, 1999 |access-date=May 5, 2025|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=3| [[Saturn Awards]]
| rowspan=3| [[23rd Saturn Awards|July 23, 1997]]
| [[Saturn Award for Best Action or Adventure Film|Best Action or Adventure Film]]
| ''Fargo''
| {{won}}
| rowspan=3| <ref>{{Cite web |date=July 28, 1997 |title=Ishmael' set to shoot in Florida |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1997/07/28/ishmael-set-to-shoot-in-florida/ |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=[[Tampa Bay Times]] |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| [[Saturn Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| Frances McDormand
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Saturn Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| Joel Coen
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=2| [[Screen Actors Guild Awards]]
| rowspan=2| [[3rd Screen Actors Guild Awards|February 22, 1997]]
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role|Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role]]
| Frances McDormand
| {{won}}
| rowspan=2| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sagawards.org/awards/nominees-and-recipients/3rd-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards|title=The 3rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards|website=[[Screen Actors Guild Awards]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009144715/https://www.sagawards.org/awards/nominees-and-recipients/3rd-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards|archive-date=October 9, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role|Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role]]
| William H. Macy
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Writers Guild of America Awards]]
| [[49th Writers Guild of America Awards|March 16, 1997]]
| [[Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]]
| Joel and Ethan Coen
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite web |author=Durka |first=Elaine |date=March 17, 1997 |title='Fargo,' 'Sling Blade' Win Top Writers Guild Honors |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-03-17-ca-39138-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009145116/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-03-17-ca-39138-story.html |archive-date=October 9, 2020 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan=4|[[London Film Critics Circle]]
|rowspan=4|[[London Film Critics Circle Awards 1996|March 2, 1997]]
|[[London Film Critics Circle Award for Film of the Year|Film of the Year]]
| ''Fargo''
| {{Won}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Critics' Circle Film Awards |url=https://criticscircle.org.uk/film/critics-circle-film-awards/ |access-date=September 25, 2022 |website=criticscircle.org.uk}}</ref>
|-
| [[London Film Critics Circle Award for Director of the Year|Director of the Year]]
| Joel Coen
| {{Won}}
|
|-
| [[London Film Critics' Circle Award for Screenwriter of the Year|Screenwriter of the Year]]
| Joel and Ethan Coen 
| {{Won}}
|
|-
| [[London Film Critics Circle Award for Actress of the Year|Actress of the Year]]
| Frances McDormand
| {{Won}}
|
|-
| [[Bodil Awards]]
| 1997
| [[Bodil Award for Best American Film|Best American Film]]
| Joel Coen 
| {{Won}}
|   <ref>{{Cite web |title=1997 – Bodilprisen |url=https://www.bodilprisen.dk/aar-for-aar/1997-2/ |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=bodilprisen.dk |language=da-DK}}</ref>
|}