MPAA Rating: R/Genre: Crime Drama/Stars: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, John Hawkes, Peter Dinklage, Abbie Cornish, Lucas Hedges, Željko Ivanek, Caleb Landry Jones, Clarke Peters, Samara Weaving, Kerry Condon, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Kathryn Newton, Brendan Sexton III, Sandy Martin/Runtime: 115 minutes
I think it can safely be said that, when you really stop to think about it dear reader, the degree to which a mother will go for her child really can be one of the more underrated natural phenomena that exists in the world today. I mean from smothering them with hugs when they need one most, giving them words of encouragement when the world seems like a much gloomier place for a variety of reasons, or even being willing to threaten the main parent in charge of the cheerleading squad to at the very least give their child a chance to audition following an incident where the child was bullied away from even trying out in the first place there really does seem to be no limit to a mother’s love…or at the very least righteous fury. Imagine then if a child met with something worse than not making it on the academic or athletic team of their choosing, but rather no more or less than a horrific and untimely end to their time on this planet through methods that they had no part in the proceedings of whatsoever. Can you even begin to picture just how much moral wrath their mother might begin to try and wreck upon those they viewed responsible if the latter group wasn’t, at least in the eyes of the mother, really doing all that they could to see that justice was done to say nothing of the impacts, both expected and unexpected, that this wrath could potentially have? Well as a matter-of-fact dear reader I actually can and the reason I say that isn’t because I am a parent (at least as far as I know). Rather, it’s because this topic just so happens to be the main focus of the movie I am reviewing for you today in the form of a crime drama from 2017 called Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (quite the mouthful there). Indeed here is a film that definitely is very much in synch with its helmer’s prior filmography right down to a slightly disreputable charm, satisfying yet copious degree of 4-letter words that you wouldn’t want your 7-year old repeating at school, and a collection of one-liners that are delightfully acidic to the hilt among other ingredients in equal measure. Yet, unlike those other films to a large degree, we see that with this film, whilst definitely one that won’t ever make the cover of Sentimentality Monthly or Optimism Weekly, still actually manages to be surprisingly a fair bit more (but not 100% to be sure) empathetic than I was expecting from a film directed by Martin McDonagh. To be sure, it might have a few miniscule problems here and there, but with the aid of top-tier work on both sides of the camera darn it all if this film isn’t a grumpy yet hopeful story about a collection of messed up individuals who have been significantly impacted by a horrific tragedy actually learning how not only to co-exist with one another, but possibly become better people along the way as well.
The plot is as follows: Taking us to the fictional locale of Ebbing, Missouri, the film gets underway by introducing us to a woman by the name of Mildred Hayes. A woman who, at one time, may have been a positive and upbeat member of the seemingly picturesque little community, but who here lately has devolved more so into someone who is withdrawn, bitter, and more than slightly ticked off. This because, a few months prior to the start of our tale, her daughter Angela who she loved dearly was terrifyingly taken advantage of and then set on fire and, despite a significant amount of time having come and gone, the local police department has been unable to find the guilty party and bring them in to face justice for their crime. As a result, we see that Mildred, having gone past her proverbial wit’s end so to speak, has made the choice to take matters into her own hands and attempt to jumpstart the town into engaging in action of some kind in an attempt to both find the party responsible and bring her a much-needed sense of closure. To achieve this pair of objectives, we soon witness as our heroine reaches out to an advertising company in town that has a set of three billboards (hence the title) up for rent and proceeds to rent them with a direct message to the town’s police chief, one Bill Willoughby, challenging him and the force for the seemingly lack of action on their part to really find the guilty party in this matter. A bit of a shame really because the man has, to his credit, patiently tried time and time again to explain to our intrepid heroine that even though the police have done all they can at this time that does not mean that eventually the case could one day be solved. As such, I don’t think it is too much of a spoiler to say that good ol’ Bill, who is very much a beloved member of the local community, taking this accusation kindly might be a wee bit of a fib on my part, but it isn’t long before Mildred takes things up a notch by going on the local news and telling everyone that the reason the police haven’t solved her daughter’s case isn’t merely because they are incompetent. Rather, it’s because they are simply way too occupied in beating up black people who live in town to care about much, if anything, else. Yet, even though seemingly everyone in town from Willoughby to Mildred’s son Robbie are very much exasperated with Mildred’s actions on this matter, it is one of Willougby’s own deputies, a moronic and fiery tempered guy named Dixon who has perhaps the most outlandish reaction of all. As a result, what started as a simple yet blind challenge for a police force to do more than it has is about to turn into a vicious game of bitter one-upmanship. One that, by the time it is done, could very well change quite a few lives. As for if that change is good or bad I think I’ll let you determine that for yourself….
Now right off, it should be said that the work done behind the camera on this film truly is remarkably well done in every sense of the word. This starts with the work done by Martin McDonagh as both scribe as well as director and, much like with the other entries in his filmography, he does an impeccable job here. Indeed he might be getting away from his first two films that contained hitmen, Colin Farrell, animated dialogue, and nods toward certain pop culture items, but there is still no denying that McDonagh’s distinct blend of both dignity as well as thought-provoking really distinguishes him as an individual. Perhaps a large part of that distinction is that, much in the way that the iconic David Mamet has long been able to pull off in his body of work, McDonagh is immensely skilled at utilizing hard-hitting dialogue in a narrative that feels like it is constructed around key moments that his directorial eye then utilizes to flesh out both the characters and the thematic concepts at play to tremendous effect. To be sure, this desire of his may result in people not really enjoying this who might have seen the trailer and thought that what they were getting with this was simply a good old fashioned revenge saga, but in all honesty this isn’t that kind of movie dear reader. Rather, it’s a twisty and turvy road made up of equal parts fury and mercy, wounds that cannot ever heal, and people getting to grow on an individual level that we get the chance to journey down with some of the most acidic individuals known to man and yet by film’s end it doesn’t feel like a waste, but rather a chance to take a second glance at both ourselves and others through one of the darkest comical lenses I have ever seen. Of course, for those of you worried that this is a complete and utter departure for McDonagh then fear not because the man’s talent for scorpion-sting, curse-word overflowing dialogue is still very much present here both in venomous back and forths and phenomenal monologues in equal measure. Yet even though the movie does delight in being as darkly comically as it can be, we also see that McDonagh and his team do a wonderful job of never permitting the comedy to negate the realistic sadness, sympathy, and repentance that manage to come forth from the various characters at the heart of this film be it Mildred, the people in her life, Dixon, or even Willoughby whose own issues with the case, without going into spoilers, really hit home in regards to choices that he going through in his own life. We also see that, in terms of the work done by the cinematography department, the film is shot in a skilled yet unpretentious manner whilst the work done by the production design team really helps to showcase the old-school small-town Main Street U.S.A. appeal of Ebbing without ever once going too far. More than anything though, perhaps one of the elements that aids the film in being as hard-hitting as it turns out to be would have to be the truly top-notch and noticeably Americana-style musical accompaniment from Carter Burwell to say nothing of the phenomenal choices that this film makes in terms of what songs to play throughout its 115-minute runtime. Suffice it to say then that the work done behind the camera on this film not only helps bring you into the world of the film, but it also really helps to let the message this film is trying to convey sink its acid-tipped hooks into you in the best way possible.
Of course, it also doesn’t hurt this film that the work done by the phenomenally talented cast of players in front of the camera is able to match the work done behind the camera impressively well. This starts with screen icon Frances McDormand and, to no surprise (I mean this IS Frances McDormand we’re talking about), she is phenomenal here. Yes the character of Mildred Hayes was, up to that point, the most significant female part that McDonagh had written, but there is no denying that McDormand brings her to life in a way that few other actresses could have. Indeed a mix of vengeful, tenacious, and tough as nails, the character of Mildred is definitely a take no prisoners, one of a kind, and extremely perseverant individual who has no problems with throwing out an acidic comment when pushed to do so. At the same time though, we also see that, as the ever-spreading fallout of her choices becomes fairly obvious, McDormand also does a wonderful job of bringing a morality and pathos to the part as well. Suffice it to say that it’s a fairly intricate turn from an actress who has long been known for giving us performances that are just that and more. We also get a dynamic performance here from the always delightful Woody Harrelson in the role of Chief Willougby. Indeed Harrelson does a terrific job here at giving us a guy who, despite how Mildred feels about his job performance, is actually a genuinely decent and easy-going type yet is also quite capable of being soulful and heartfelt when the situation calls for it. Far and away though, the most complex and engaging role in the film belongs to none other than Sam Rockwell in the part of Officer Dixon. Not just in terms of the journey that the narrative takes his character on, but how Rockwell manages to make every single step of that journey both affecting and completely believable while even providing the audience with a few laughs along the way. Alongside the work done in this film by the aforementioned dynamic trio of talents, this slice of cinema also packs quite the punch when it comes to their co-stars as well. Indeed this starts with Lucas Hedges who, fresh off his incredible turn in Manchester by the Sea, brings an intelligence yet also more than slight embarrassment and mounting frustration to his mom’s actions in the role of Mildred’s son Robbie. We also are treated to a pair of terrifically low key turns here from both Caleb Landry Jones who does a wonderful job at finding some low-key nuances to bring to the role of the agent who sells Mildred the billboard ad space and Clarke Peters whose role I can’t reveal much on due to spoilers, but who I can say does a phenomenally effective job at conveying for us a guy who has no tolerance for nonsense and is able to convey so with nothing more than just a look and a collection of extremely well-selected words. Far and away though, one of the highlights from a co-starring perspective for me has to be none other than Peter Dinklage who, equipped with a phenomenal mullet and thick as all get out mustache, brings some of the more poignant points to the film as a guy trying to woo Mildred only to continuously find himself having to deal with just how aloof she can be. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in top-tier efforts from such talents as Zeljko Ivanek, Abbie Cornish, Samara Weaving, John Hawkes, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Kathryn Newton, and a delightfully hostile co-starring turn in the role of Dixon’s dear ol’ mom from Sandy Martin that you have to see to believe it’s clear that there might be some teeny-tiny issues with this movie, but the work done by this extremely well-chosen cast is most assuredly not one of them
All in all and at the end of the day is Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri a perfect and flawless film? Sadly as much as I would like to say that it is I am afraid I can’t though certainly not for lack of effort on the part of the cast and/or crew. Having said that though, does that make this the worst thing since McDormand decided to be in, of all things, 2011’s Transformers: Dark of the Moon or Rockwell lent his vocal talents to 2020’s Trolls: World Tour? Thankfully I can confirm that is not the case either by any stretch of the imagination. Instead here is a slice of cinema that is one which, with the aid of potent work on both sides of the camera, when it isn’t having you reach for the box of tissues that “magically” appeared right next to you, is giving you a case of the giggles or actually giving you something fairly substantive to ponder. More than anything though, this is a film that showcases for us that perhaps the worst ailment that is inflicting the world around us right now, and perhaps has been for quite some time, is the ailment of anger. Indeed if you really stop to think about it dear reader we all have something that infuriates us be it something as mundane as the driver who cuts us off in traffic, something extreme like a conflict between two countries that has seen countless innocents on both sides tragically lose their lives, or something absurd like the fact that some movies exist in the first place (though that definitely seems like something only I am upset about here lately). In that regard, this film is one that, in a very darkly comic way, strives to tell us that not only is this anger one that can overwhelm a person and impact more lives than just our own, but that there is also only one cure for it. That being the phenomenon known as empathy for others. No it can’t completely get rid of the anger, but at least it can let us see and maybe start to comprehend the world from another’s eyes and perhaps that is just as important. Make of that what thou will. On a scale of 1-5 I give Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri a solid 4.5 out of 5.
