The Fargo franchise claims it is based on a true story, but the movie and TV show tell stories that aren't as reliable as that claim sounds. The acclaimed Coen brothers movie opened in 1996 by telling audiences that what they're about to see actually happened in some form. The opening title card of the film reads, "The events depicted in this film took place in Minnesota in 1987. At the request of the survivors, the names have been changed. Out of respect for the dead, the rest has been told exactly as it occurred."
