Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Year: 2017
Director: Martin McDonagh
Cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish, John Hawkes, Peter Dinklage, Caleb Landry Jones, Lucas Hedges, Zeljko Ivanek


Plot: Still grieving over the rape and murder of her daughter seven months ago, and unhappy with the case still being unsolved, Mildred Hayes rents three billboards and puts up a message that paints the town sheriff in a bad light, and causes most of the townsfolk to turn against her.


Review: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a strong contender at this year's Oscars, and it's easy to see why. It's a solid drama filled with plenty of comedic moments and foul language, and while the subject matter is rather depressing, director and writer Martin McDonagh makes it very entertaining overall.

Frances McDormand plays Mildred Hayes, whose daughter Angela was raped and killed seven months ago, and the case remains open. She rents three billboards with the message "Raped while dying, and still no arrests? How come, Chief Willoughby?" in the hope that she can get the police to take her daughter's case more seriously. But the billboards' presence does not go down well with Chief Willoughby (who's dying of cancer), his deputies (especially the racist and impulsive Jason Dixon) and the rest of the townsfolk. 

Ultimately, the film is about guilt and grief, and how the people in Ebbing deal with it, from Mildred to Willoughby, to her son, his family, and even Dixon, who seems like an awful man, but as it turns out, not totally irredeemable. McDonagh's script is filled with sharp dialogue and sudden bursts of violence that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face even when the situation should feel grim. There is rarely a moment in the film that feels dull, thanks to McDonagh's steady direction.

McDormand is a sure frontrunner for Best Actress at the Oscars this year. She portrays Mildred as a tough woman who isn't above insulting the town priest or attacking teenagers who mess with her, among other things. She's clearly a mother who is suffering a great loss, so she's easy to empathize with, but McDormand makes her quite likable despite all the impulsive things she does. Woody Harrelson contrasts her nicely as the dying sheriff, who easily earns the audience's sympathy as a fair man who's facing an unavoidable death. Sam Rockwell is superb as Dixon, who will no doubt get on your bad side from the get go, but earns your respect by the film's end. 

I only have two complaints; the first being the last ten minutes or so, which felt a bit extraneous, the second being Peter Dinklage as someone who cares about Mildred, who didn't get enough screen time.

All in all, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a phenomenal dramedy that hits most of the right notes without venturing into melodramatic territory. (8/10)