I saw in interview with the Coens where they said Buscemi was supposed to be the sympathetic character, not McDormand. Whether they were messing with the interviewer or not I don't know, but it makes sense to me. McDormand's character is a robot. Buscemi's has the pathos.
"So that was Mrs. Lundegaard on the floor in there. And I guess that was your accomplice in the wood chipper. And those three people in Brainerd. And for what? For a little bit of money. There's more to life than a little money, you know. Don'tcha know that? And here ya are, and it's a beautiful day. Well. I just don't understand it."