Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri * * * *
You are probably going to enjoy this film: indeed, it's hard not to. The situation is tense and the heroine is likable, despite her appalling behavior at times. But I guess when your daughter has been raped and murdered it's hard to stay reasonable.
Frances Mc Dormand plays Mildred Hayes. We learn that her daughter was a victim to such an attack several years ago. They still haven't caught the person who did it. So one day she gets it into her head to rent out three roadside billboards to tell anyone who passes by what happened. The media are impressed, but everyone in the town is pretty disgusted, especially as one of the billboards directly asks Sherrif Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) what's he going to do about it. It's not like Sherrif Willoughby doesn't care. He has been working on the case for years and has exhausted every lead. However, understandably to a grieving parent, there is no such thing as "exhausted every lead".
In the meantime we get to know other characters: Jason the psychopath cop: dumb as dog pooh, violent, racist, irrational and still living with his Mum who is just as crazy. Also Mildred's ex who has a propensity for violence. Red is another interesting character: a young man who has inherited and runs the billboard service and now receiving pressure from his client Mildred, and hate from the town for having leased her the billboards.. There are quite a few other colorful characters making up this small town pantomime of violence, tragedy, confrontation and black humor.
Yet, as amusing and shocking as some of the actions can be, after a while you realise there is an extremity in everyone and you begin to wonder when is this going to snap and turn into a self destructive joke; because each step takes us further from reality. But in the mean time the situation, and everyone in it, is fascinating. Like I say, it's hard not enjoy it.
I also have to admire the structure of Three Billboards. Most fascinating was the change of character who is the counterbalance to Mildred. At the half way mark her nemesis is eliminated only to be replaced by another.
As an aside, there was one thing I could not help but notice, and I'm not going to get preachy about the black representation in this film, but the tokenism of their roles is so obvious it's almost embarrassing.
Yet even with it's flaws and occasionally contrived scenes, Three Billboards is a great piece of drama and well worth a viewing.
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| Frances and Woody are swinging. |
In the meantime we get to know other characters: Jason the psychopath cop: dumb as dog pooh, violent, racist, irrational and still living with his Mum who is just as crazy. Also Mildred's ex who has a propensity for violence. Red is another interesting character: a young man who has inherited and runs the billboard service and now receiving pressure from his client Mildred, and hate from the town for having leased her the billboards.. There are quite a few other colorful characters making up this small town pantomime of violence, tragedy, confrontation and black humor.
Yet, as amusing and shocking as some of the actions can be, after a while you realise there is an extremity in everyone and you begin to wonder when is this going to snap and turn into a self destructive joke; because each step takes us further from reality. But in the mean time the situation, and everyone in it, is fascinating. Like I say, it's hard not enjoy it.
I also have to admire the structure of Three Billboards. Most fascinating was the change of character who is the counterbalance to Mildred. At the half way mark her nemesis is eliminated only to be replaced by another.
As an aside, there was one thing I could not help but notice, and I'm not going to get preachy about the black representation in this film, but the tokenism of their roles is so obvious it's almost embarrassing.
Yet even with it's flaws and occasionally contrived scenes, Three Billboards is a great piece of drama and well worth a viewing.
Well critiqued PHIL! We saw it last week @ our lovely local boutique “Rapallo Cinema” in suburban Strathmore & your summation is spot on! Well done, love your work! 👀🙏🥇🥂😂
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