Director Martin McDonagh's dark comedy-drama that offers a look at imperfect redemption for everyone involved.
Movie: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Cast: Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson, Lucas Hedges, Zeljko Ivanek, Caleb Landry Jones, Peter Dinklage
Director: Martin McDonagh
Genre: Drama
Duration: 1 hr 55 min
Critic's Ratings: ****1/2
Story:
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, as the title suggests, is a story of events unfurling after three billboards stir up a small town and send it into a tizzy. Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) hasn't heard from the local police enforcement even months after her daughter was raped on her deathbed. So she decides to rent the billboards for one whole year and declares war in three sentences.
Raped While Dying;
And Still No Arrests;
How Come, Chief Willoughby?
Dixon (Sam Rockwell), a foolish police officer spots these billboards and makes it his mission to take down those who colluded against the best police chief Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) he has ever worked with. The entire town of Ebbing supports Willoughby and that includes Mildred's estranged husband and later on her son. How Mildred fights all these forces is the story of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Review:
Directed by Martin McDonagh, the movie has been bagging all the awards this season for the screenplay; Best Supporting Actor for Sam Rockwell; and Best Actress for Frances McDormand. When you watch the movie, it leaves you with no doubt that all these accolades are well deserved.
McDonagh's story of a hurt, fierce and determined mother avoids being a run-of-the-mill revenge drama thanks to savage, dark and in-your-face humour. When Dixon and Mildred interact with each other, or even other townies talk, political correctness leaves the building. Zingy comments about racism, homophobia ricochet with full force. Mildred's pain of injustice for her daughter's fate and Dixon's loyalty towards chief Willoughby go head to head. None of the characters on either side of the story are perfect so it leaves you thinking hard about choosing a side. Both characters are filled with rage for the injustice meted out to their party and seek different ways of redemption.
Mildred is your anti-hero, you can't be sure about her ways of getting things done. Dixon knows only hillbilly ways of working as a policeman with a gun with unquestionable authority. Both are trying to find ways to win the battle unleashed by Mildred which makes this Shakespearean drama entertaining to the hilt.
Frances McDormand owns Mildred. She is always in battle mode, accessorised with bandana, coveralls, cigarette, and hair tied up. Mildred is tough-talking, fearless and a no-bullshit woman who just wants to know who killed her baby. Woody Harrelson's police chief Willoughby maybe beloved by the whole town and dying of stage four cancer, but McDormand's character doesn't care. She is resolved, full of flaws and will find a way to quell that anger seething inside her. Expressions in McDormand's eyes encase the curse-laden dialogues for full effect. It is hard to imagine anyone else doing justice to this resilient character.
Sam Rockwell's Dixon is the character that keeps evolving through the movie. The stupid, racist policeman ultimately finds redemption but not before his life gets undone. Rockwell's timing with the edgy humour has won him accolades this year.
Woody Harrelson, Lucas Hedges, Zeljko Ivanek, Caleb Landry Jones, and Peter Dinklage get their own poignant moments in the story and they do a good job of it.
Cinematographer Ben Davis has made sure that the sleepy town stays the canvas for this masterstroke of a story. In collaboration with production designer Inbal Weinberg, he maintains the rusty charm of the frames while actors wreak emotional havoc on screen.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is dark comedy-drama that offers a look at imperfect redemption for everyone involved.
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