Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is written and directed by Martin McDonagh (of the brilliant In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths), and follows Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) as she demands justice for her daughter’s murder in the form of three accusatory billboards. Despite its controversial exploration of bigotry in small American towns, the film as had major critical success – emerging as one of the big winners of the Golden Globes and sailing towards Oscar contention.
The plot unfolds like this (with minimum spoilers): Mildred Hayes is furious about the lack of progress in her daughter’s murder case and, at a loss of what to do, hires out three billboards along a quiet stretch of highway. They read: “Raped while dying?”, “And still no arrests?”, “How come, Chief Willoughby?”. These billboards cause quite the stir in their small town, with almost unamious outrage at Mildred’s audacity to attack the police department – especially when Chief Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) is dying of cancer. The main cast is completed by a brilliant Sam Rockwell, who plays the racist and oft-times villainous officer Dixon.
This is a brilliant, albeit slightly confronting, film. The one thing that stood out to me the most was the screenplay, as it strikes a phenomenal balance between hilarity and dark, emotional themes. Though the overarching storyline has been seen time and time again in cinema (small town, bigoted cops and a fight for justice is hardly revolutionary), the way McDonagh crafted the script is effective in eliciting a wave of different emotions in the viewer that make it memorable. The characters in this film are also some of the most interesting I have seen in years, with the growth and change they encounter being concurrently realistic and wholly unexpected. The plot itself is rich with complex themes and important messages that can be interpreted differently by each viewer, which make for a riveting cinematic experience.
The film itself is beautifully made, with the juxtaposition of the bleak midwestern setting and the ferocity of the vibrant red billboards a particularly striking aspect of the film. Each scene feels relevant and the film maintains a steady pace that doesn’t rely on violence or twists to stay engaging. The other major aspect of this film that must be discussed is the incredible acting performances. Every piece of this movie works together and the acting is no exception, which says a lot about McDonagh as a director. While Frances McDormand is always perfect, I haven’t seen her with the simmering expanse of emotion and searing passion that she displays in this film for years, perhaps even since Fargo. She would absolutely be a worthy Best Actress Oscar winner this year and the film is elevated due to her faultless performance. Harrelson is surprisingly sympathetic in this film and handles his tricky character with finesse. However, I think this movie belongs to Sam Rockwell – with his performance matching (and perhaps eclipsing) McDormand’s. His character is easily the most contentious part of the film but Rockwell plays him with understanding. He handles the aggressive elements of Dixon’s character effortlessly but has enough emotional gravitas for the momentous change Dixon experiences to be believable – an arc which would have been rendered ridiculous in the hands of a lesser actor.
This film was a complete triumph and I’m struggling to find any fault with it. The recent news articles about the racism and bigotry portrayed in this film are valid in their criticism, but ignore the film’s refusal to glamourise these behaviours and its firm stance against the town’s outdated mentality – which make for a difficult discussion.
I’m giving this film 5 out of 5 popcorns.
(Photo courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes)
Girl with the Popcorn 