Review – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a movie of pure greatness.  A movie that is just as funny as it is emotional.  A movie that is filled with themes that resonate today.  A movie that is written, acted, and directed masterfully.  A movie that is one of the best of 2017.

Months after her daughter was murdered, Mildred (Francis McDormand) begins to challenge the local police department by placing billboards questioning attacking the department and their work, which causes a stir around town.

Three Billboards acts as the southern sister to the Coen Brother classic Fargo (1995).  It is a perfect blend of comedy of drama, with some scenes that will have you laughing until your face hurts.  McDonagh has made a movie about rural America where small people have big problems.  This is a movie that deals with issues that are relatable and common to every human.  The biggest theme I took away is the classic saying, “actions speak louder than words.”  This is a movie filled with characters who act without thinking, yet don’t think about the repercussions of their actions until it is too late.  The film acts as a morality tale of how to handle loss, tragedy, and revenge.  They are grounded messages that everyone can relate too.

The performances in the movie are some of the best of the year and will garner plenty of awards hype over the next couple months.  Francis McDormand gives one of the year’s best performances as Mildred.  This is a beautifully written character and McDormand brings it to life.  Mildred is a strong, stubborn woman who wants justice for her daughter and will do anything to get it.  She starts off as an angry, vengeful, heartbroken mother, but as she sees what her actions have done to the down, she begins to realize it might not be worth it and begins to question her choices.  McDormand gives us a fully realized, rounded performance and is the heart of the film.  It is her best performance since her Oscar winning performance in Fargo.

Sam Rockwell is equally great as Dixon.  Dixon is an immature hothead with a quick trigger and still lives with his mother.  Yet, much like Mildred, he has a reawakening during the movie, as his actions come back to haunt him in ways he never thought.  Rockwell has been one of the most underrated and best actors in Hollywood for a long time and this will be the performance that could finally get him his due.

And we can’t forget one of the most consistent actors working today, Woody Harrelson, who puts in another great performance and Willoughby.  Harrelson hasn’t given a bad performance in a long time, and this is another gem.  Willoughby is Mildred’s main target, as he runs the police department.  He knows she is being excessive in her actions and wants to do something about it, but has his hands tied because he is trying his best to solve the case.  Willoughby is charming, sweet, and determined and acts as the middle ground between Mildred and Dixon.

When reviewing movies, that hardest reviews to write are the best movies.  Not just good movies, but perfect movies, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is just that, a perfect movie.  From McDonagh’s screenplay and vision to the masterful performances from the entire cast, Three Billboards is one of the very best movies of the year and a truly special film.

Did you see Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri?  What did you think?  Comment below or hit me up on Twitter and Instagram, @kevflix, or on Facebook by searching Kevflix.