One of the best
acted dramas in recent memory,
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,
is a showcase for Frances McDormand and a strong cast guided by director/screenwriter
Martin McDonagh. It’s a thoughtful study in human behavior with ordinary people
under extreme circumstances.
A
hard-nosed woman, Mildred (McDormand), buys three billboards at the edge of
town to announce the inability of the local law enforcement chief to solve the
long, unsolved rape and murder of her daughter.
Incensed by this public shaming, the chief, Willoughby (Woody
Harrelson), engages in a war of wills with the determined mother. As these adversaries must contend with events
beyond their control, relationships are forever altered.
McDormand bares it
all emotionally eschewing makeup in favor of an unglamorous appearance. Her Mildred is totally
convincing in her stubborn convictions because, as much as townspeople may
oppose her, no one can possibly know her pain. Harrelson is quite good as the
fatalistic chief whose legacy has a profound effect on others. The scenes between the two of them are a treat
to watch, but the surprise is Sam
Rockwell in an Oscar worthy performance as Dixon, the antagonistic officer with
issues of his own.
It’s
an affecting story about complex characters with their own personal struggles
and demons in a world where kindness and reconciliation emerge from the
unlikeliest of places. This is a film where the story takes a
backseat to the acting; the plot may not be neatly resolved as in real
life, but the performances are so engaging that it won’t matter. A good film may have one or two great scenes;
this one has many, and as great as
McDormand is, Rockwell is a revelation.
**** of
**** stars
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