It’s no small wonder why Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri was just nominated for six Golden Globes. These acknowledgements aren’t just due to how its ability to strike an incredible balance between its twisted humour and dark subject matter, or because of its powerhouse heroine – it’s a combination of both. How it managed to squeeze so much into just one movie is mind-blowing.
Spoilers aside, the words written on the billboards the movie’s centred around are all you should know before seeing it.
“Raped While Dying”
“And Still No Arrests?”
“How Come, Chief Willoughby?”
A teenage girl was sexually assaulted and murdered, there’s been no progress in arresting the culprit, and a mother is asking the top of the food chain why. Knowing anything more about the plot than this would only detract from the hilariously-dark humoured ride you’re about to go on.
Writer-director Martin McDonagh (Six Shooter, In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths) has kept things familiar for those versed in his work – exploring themes of revenge, anger, death, remorse and destruction in Three Billboards. What sets it apart and elevates it to arguably his best work yet is the surgical use of Frances McDormand. Until now, McDonagh’s films leant on masculinity to execute his go-to ideologies, but by adding a feminine influence, the dynamic changes entirely. It humanises the plot and removes your ability to become detached while you’re simultaneously laughing your ass off.
Frances McDormand stars as Mildred Hayes, the unapologetic/bad-ass grieving mother who’s desperate for answers following her daughter’s murder. If she doesn’t take out an Academy Award for this then those assholes can suck my ass. Her character is steadfast in who she is and the decisions she makes – and thanks to a masterfully conceived plot that constantly tricks you into thinking it’s about to dip into the realms of stereotypical, you’re constantly playing catch up in understanding what makes her tick.
The characters that circle McDormand operate in the same way as the story they’re portraying. The seem typecasted at first glance, but as everything unfolds, they evolve into uniquely thought-out and refreshingly new beings.
Woody Harrelson plays the subject of McDormand’s aggression, Chief Willoughby. The part fits him like a glove – leveraging his almost juvenile charisma to add a softness to what could’ve been a very bland character. Serving underneath him is Officer Jason Dixon, played by Sam Rockwell. Once again, perfect casting and the crafty script enabled Rockwell to avoid falling into the same tired routine that comes hand-in-hand with the role of the dumb, racist policeman living with his mother (something that was validated with his Golden Globe’s nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture).
These focal characters are supported by a stellar cast including Samara Weaving, Sandy Martin, Lucas Hedges, Peter Dinklage, Abbie Cornish, Caleb Landry Jones, Clarke Peters, and Zeljko Ivanek. Just like the leads, each actor is in a calibre of their own and give flawless performances.
So, why should Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri be on your must-see list in the new year? Well, McDonagh’s sharp words have a lot to do with it. The dark humour that his characters jab one another with is something that you could imagine transpiring in an everyday context – and as any writer worth their salt knows, creating such exchanges ain’t an easy endeavour.
It’s the cathartic humour that allows the movie to explore such heavy themes. Like, laughing during a film centred around the sexual assault and murder of a young woman isn’t something that’s typically permissible. Further, its daring exploration of anger (and letting go of that anger) doesn’t weigh Three Billboards down because you, as a viewer, are too busy laughing your ass off.
Additionally, this film still manages to squeeze in a very real, very relevant exploration of race relations and homophobia in America. And it’s this combination of factors, when combined with its use of some of the most twisted humour you’ll ever laugh at, that makes it a movie you have to see in 2018.
Do yourself and watch the trailer below (if you haven’t already) and catch it in cinemas January 1st.
