MovieChat Forums > The English Patient (1996) Discussion > Am I the only one who liked this better ...

Am I the only one who liked this better than Fargo?


I saw Fargo, and I was never particularly like "OMG THIS IS SO AMAZING THIS SHOULD WIN EVERY AWARD" but it was entertaining and fun to watch. The best part was their Minnesota/North Dakota accents. The story was funny, quirky and original but it just wasn't my favourite. However, when I saw this I was just blown away, I don't understand why people say it's boring and slow or too long. I think it was worth every minute, and sure it may have been almost 3 hours long, but who cares? If it had been any shorter it wouldn't have been the same.

Hi. I'm a 17-year-old female, so don't call me an idiot.

reply

[deleted]

[deleted]

I am sure you are not the only one, but I refuse to keep you company. Fargo is superior, in my opinion. I don't think this film is boring or slow or too long, and in fact I feel that many of the 'powerful' events in the film are crippled by a lack of context, or in other words, not enough story. For example, when Kip's comrade dies, I cannot feel the emotions the film (and swelling music) wants me to feel because their relationship is meaningless to me: no time has been spent fleshing it out. This is only one of many slip-ups found throughout the film. I did find the story interesting though. Some of acting was excellent. For me, the best scenes were between Katharine and Laszlo.

My rating: 7

reply

The English Patient is one of the few movie in the last few decades to compare to the great epics of the '50s-'60s. Movies like Lawrence of Arabia had a certain quality about them that, while it confounds a viewer who's looking for a twist-filled clever plot, it pays dividends to a viewer interested in admiring the way a historically-based story unfolds. Movies like these attempt to weave human stories into the fabric of history through the techniques of cinema, and when they fail, they fail miserably.
I feel like TEP was one of many Weinstein productions that attempted to recreate "old" movie magic, and, since the old guard (not necessarily the studio system, but older and more traditional Hollywood folk, including independent producers like TEP's Saul Zaentz) was much more powerful 16 years ago than they are today, a movie like TEP came off as a very "establishment" picture.
Also, in 1996, Fargo did not have many precedents.
Today, the world is full of wannabe-Fargos. None equal it, but many are decent enough. Fargo holds up very well, but, in 2012, there are way fewer wannabe-English Patients than there are wannabe-Fargos, and that makes TEP hold up particularly well nearly 20 years later. Anyone who would call TEP a mainstream film in 2012 has an outdated idea of what the mainstream currently is.

"Under strengths... You just put 'Accounts.' That's just your job." ~David Brent, The Office

reply

@ChineseDudeAtMidnight - Bravo!

reply

Love this, saw it in the movies, it stayed with me. The 3 leads are so good and the chemistry between Fiennes and Scott Thomas! the scene when the soldiers are singing at Christmas, wow. Fargo is so different but good. The English Patient is one of my top 5 romances.

reply

I suppose it depends on individual taste as well. I like the Coen Bros. work but I'm not all that fond of "Fargo". On the other hand, I am a huge fan of epic period films so this film was hugely enjoyable for me. I think it was very well paced too. Have never understood all the people who complain about the length.

reply

I haven't seen Fargo so I can't say which one is better
I can only tell that I loved the English patient it's on my top 3 romantic films ever and the chemistry between Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas was amazing.


Ohh and I had to say this Ralph Fiennes looks very hot in this film well he always looks hot except when he was playing Voldemort.

reply

I've stopped trying to figure out all the love for Fargo. It's something I'll never understand.

reply