By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Abbie Cornish | Caleb Landry Jones | Frances McDormand | Kerry Condon | Martin McDonagh | Sam Rockwell | Woody Harrelson
Country: united_kingdom, united_states
Year: 2017
Running time: 115
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5027774/reference
Brett says: “If Martin McDonagh hadn’t etched his legacy in cinema with previous films IN BRUGES and SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS, well, he has now. THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI brings dark humor to a contemporary set of issues that keep escalating amid a tumultuous social, political climate.
“What would happen if a child you lost due to a violent murder went unsolved over the course of several months with no leads as to who the perpetrator was? For Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand), the answer is to take the heartache and frustration to billboards in a remote location near her home in order to draw attention to local law enforcement’s questionable efforts. From there, a genius cornucopia of thematic elements blossom in the form of mystery, social justice/injustice, dark humor, local color, and family ties. Carrying out the lofty mission of the script are a cast of characters as memorable as any ensemble in the past 10 years on the big screen.
“While a very polarizing topic sits at the forefront of the central conflict, the film never fully approaches the pulpit of right/wrong as it toys with ideologies often blurted out or covered in random rage-filled Tweet tirades. As soon as it nears the “preachy” stage, it reminds itself and the audience that there are reality checks all around us that do not qualify any of us as *the* authority or experts on the matter.
“For a film that tackles subject material that could derail it at any time, it actually picks up momentum with each new scene. Shocking imagery, even more shocking language, and a plethora of taboo lines crossed only add to the aura of this film that somehow manages to heal and mend wounds from current social topics by opening up the discussion for them with no punches pulled.
“On a list of year’s best, there aren’t many categories that this film should not be in the running for. All-star ensemble performances, a screenplay for the ages, directorial vision exceeding Hollywood’s status quo, this film goes places cinema has needed to go for quite some time. 5 cats out of 5
Philip says: “Spoiler alerts!
“THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI is perhaps the last nominated film I’ll watch before this year’s Oscar Awards. There are films I haven’t seen and I’m fine with that. I’ve caught six of nine, a better percentage than usual for me. My first reaction to THREE BILLBOARDS is how modern the story feels. When people look back on the film historically, they will see topical themes of police brutality, rape culture, white male domination, and women struggling with how to confront and extinguish injustice. Each of these issues could fill up a lifetime of research and discussion. To meld them into one film speaks volumes for screenwriter and filmmaker Martin McDonagh (IN BRUGES). Couple that with breath-catching performances from Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, and Sam Rockwell and you’ve got an outstanding film worthy of its Oscar nod for Best Picture. But it is McDomand’s role and her character Mildred Hayes’ journey which captivates and keeps THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI lingering in your mind long after the final scene. While chock with action and plenty of violence, the film manages to ask important questions: Is there ever a good reason for an eye for an eye response? How far should one person go to seek justice? Is vengeance an acceptable form of justice? Can we forgive our neighbor for crossing a line due to grief? The interplay between characters makes these questions not necessarily important to answer, but important to ponder, to discuss, to give importance to as a community trying to make the world better. The film truly feels like a post-Trump election movie. It showcases what happens to a small community when people are ignored and some in charge are allowed to act in immoral and illegal ways. And it certainly questions the right for what is an appropriate response to all of this injustice?
“There’s controversy surrounding the film (see Vox article). I didn’t feel like the racism was swept under the carpet, although there’s no denying this was a white-centric film. In the end, the comment from Harrelson’s character Bill that Rockwell’s Dixon is good underneath all his hatred and violence felt naive to me. The fact that Bill never suspended Dixon in the first place tells you all you need to know about his outlook on life. And the final scene where Mildred and Dixon take a road trip together is left open-ended. I didn’t think they rode off in the sunset together after the film ends. To the contrary, I thought there were many possibilities to the ending all of which included Dixon never becoming the good man Bill thought he could be. I was satisfied with the story arc and ending. McDonagh did a great job telling one woman’s tale. 4 cats.
“Review courtesy of Reel Charlie.”