Certification. 15
Running Time. 1 hour 55 mins
Director. Martin McDonagh
Cast. Kerry Condon, Abbie Cornish, Peter Dinklage, Woody Harrelson, Lucas Hedges, Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell.
Rating. 86%
"Anger only begets more anger."
Martin McDonagh's Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a staggering examination of innate pain and grief, and above all, the inevitable self-destructive nature of anger.
Angry at the lack of progress in finding her daughter's killer, Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) purchases three neglected billboards on a quiet road on the outskirts of Ebbing, Missouri. The first billboard reads, "Raped While Dying", the other two calling the local police force - and in particular local police chief, Sheriff Bill Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) - to task for the apparent inertia in the case. Frances McDormand's character execution borders on flawless. The Academy Award-winning actress gives one of her finest performances as the mother of the murdered teenage daughter. She's fearless, obstinate and unwavering.
Equally, Woody Harrelson gives an appropriately apologetic performance as Ebbing's popular police chief.
But it is Sam Rockwell's portrayal of the impulsive, ignorant, racist Officer Jason Dixon that surprised me most. A character clearly with below-average intelligence and a history of police brutality and racial abuse, Officer Dixon epitomises Chief Willoughby's assertion, "You got rid of every cop with vaguely racist leanings, you'd have three cops left and all of them would hate the fags." Rockwell's portrayal of such a deplorable character is superb. He garners animosity and pity in equal measure.
The three main characters endure a difficult relationship and it is only down to the skill of the actors and the quality of the writing that this relationship appears genuine, and never feels contrived or manufactured. The heartfelt performances mean Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a film that is difficult to ignore or indeed, forget. Powerful but never overbearing, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is an ethical nightmare for the audience.
Nominated for Best Picture at the 90th Academy Awards, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri lost to The Shape Of Water. However, Frances McDormand received Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, and, Sam Rockwell received Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, pipping, amongst others, his co-star Woody Harrelson.
Comments
Post a Comment