Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Director: Martin McDonagh

Story: Martin McDonagh

Cast: Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson

Music: Carter Burwell

Time: 115 minutes

Bottom-line: A dark and deeply emotional film; the best of the year

Winner of the BAFTA Best Picture Award, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri was my pick for the Oscars as well. The film stars Frances McDormand in the lead role, with Sam Rockwell (both actors won Oscars for acting) and Woody Harrelson in the supporting roles. The film won 5 BAFTAs, was nominated for 7 Oscars and won two.    

"My daughter was murdered 7 months ago, and it seems the police is too busy torturing black folk to solve actual crimes."
In the titular town, Mildred Hayes (McDormand) is grieving the rape and murder of her teenage daughter, seven months earlier. Angered at the lack of attention given to this case, she rents three billboards and writes on them: “RAPED WHILE DYING", "STILL NO ARRESTS?", and "HOW COME, CHIEF WILLOUGHBY?" This upsets all the town folk, including Chief Willoughby (Harrelson), who suffers from terminal pancreatic cancer, and Officer Dixon (Rockwell), a racist and violent alcoholic. Dixon arrests Mildred’s co-worker on false charges, Willoughby later commits suicide, and Mildred’s divorced husband also blames her for her daughter’s death. Mildred is then cheated when she is informed that she hasn’t paid enough for the billboards, and later, the boards are destroyed in a fire. How does she retaliate? Does the case finally get solved?

McDormand as Mildred

The first 45 minutes or so introduce the various characters to the viewers. Following Willoughby’s suicide, the story then takes a turn to show how one incident can cause a chain reaction and affect everyone in the neighbourhood. The character transformations are realistically and powerfully shown. Mildred stays determined throughout the film, and every hurdle she faces makes her tougher, even violent at times. But there are times when it’s just too much to bear and she breaks down; McDormand has done her part superbly and certainly deserves her second Oscar. Willoughby’s character – despite his short screen time – is the plot catalyst. His suicide is the turning point of the story, and is responsible to bring about a change in all the characters.

 

Harrelson as Willoughby (left) and Rockwell
as Dixon 

Sam Rockwell’s performance is brilliant; Dixon undergoes a change from being the brutal drunkard to the helpful friend who even gets himself severely injured just to provide Mildred with some evidence related to her case. Peter Dinklage has a supporting role in the film, as Mildred’s friend, James. The ending of the film is on not exactly on a positive note. It has an ambiguous climax, but it shows that life will go on no matter what. The film also portrays how situations can push you to your extreme limits, and how the same situations can bring you the most unlikely friends. In a tale as dark and depressing as this, Mildred’s determination and her friendships with James, and later with Dixon, stand out.

 

The three billboards

The film had such an impact that several protestors in various places across the globe set up similar billboards – for the Grenfell Tower Fire, and the Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting, to name a few.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is far from a comfortable watch, but in a way, it sends out a message that there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel. McDormand’s and Rockwell’s performances are exceptional, and the film is one of my favourites of 2017.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 92%