‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ is a chilling masterpiece
By Jack Murphy // Staff Writer
Written and directed by Martin McDonagh,“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” stars Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, and Sam Rockwell. Mildred Hayes (McDormand) is a distressed mother who buys three billboards in her town of Ebbing, Missouri, calling out Chief Willoughby (Harrelson) and the Ebbing Police Department for not arresting anyone months after her daughters brutal murder. “Three Billboards” is one of the nine films nominated for Best Picture at the 90th Academy Awards, and is also nominated for six other academy awards. But let’s get right to the point: “Three Billboards” is outstanding.
The screenplay by Martin McDonagh is the best I’ve seen in years. While I was watching the movie, I kept predicting what I thought would happen in my head, and then the script would go somewhere completely unexpected. That doesn’t happen very often and it made the film vastly more interesting.
“Three Billboards” is a very dark comedy about how anger can take in people that are grief-stricken. Along with the screenplay, McDonagh gets the best possible performances out of his actors and actresses, as they are all completely brilliant. Harrelson as the Chief of Police and Rockwell as a troubled and unlikeable cop are fantastic. They both bring a realism to a dark story that is completely believable, and Sam Rockwell’s character arc throughout the movie is also one of the best I’ve seen in years.
But the best performance of the film and the year belongs to Frances McDormand as Mildred Hayes. Mildred is tough as nails, and doesn’t care about others’ opinions. She might be at times cruel and vengeful, as that’s the source of the billboards she buys to call out the police, but she is actually sympathetic underneath a tough shield she has put around herself. Her performance and her story make “Three Billboards” the incredible film it is.
Peter Dinklage plays an important role in this movie as one of the people who lives in Ebbing, Missouri, and he gives an incredible performance as another troubled, but relatable person. Most of his character revolves around the later end of the film.
“Three Billboards” is an incredibly violent film that doesn’t shy away from showing many graphic images throughout the runtime, but the way that McDonagh incorporates the violence into the story and the way the acts of violence are shot work perfectly throughout the film.
I, personally, have no criticisms with “Three Billboards,” but if you are considering watching it, just know that it is a very dark comedy and a depressing movie that is fantastic overall. I love everything about “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” except the title. That’s my only criticism of this movie, and overall, I would highly recommend this film.