Best Picture Nominee Review: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

This a film of legends. Director Martin McDonagh is a legendary filmmaker. Frances McDormand is a legendary actress. Woody Harrelson is a legendary actor. The sheer starpower behind this film is impressive. This excellent film tells the story of Mildred Hayes. Months after her daughter’s murder, no arrests have been made. In order to incite action, Mildread challenges the local police department with inflammatory messages written on three billboards heading into town. In response to this, the small town of Ebbing, Missouri, takes sides with either Mildred or the police. The result is a chaotic but calculated dark dramedy that highlights the residents’ reactions to the billboards and the eventual degradation of the town’s thin moral fiber.

This is an excellent movie with great characters that is incredibly entertaining. This film covers some seriously dark subject matter, but it never shies away from humor. This is an incredibly funny movie in the darkest way possible. Political correctness is completely off the table. Could this humor offend people? Yes, it easily could. Is it, however, realistic? Yes, it is. This a small, rural town in Missouri. These people aren’t politically correct. They will say whatever comes to mind, regardless of how offensive it is. These low blows of jokes, however, are mostly isolated to the police, who are portrayed as the unofficial antagonists of the film. The jokes may be harsh. Anything is fair game, even if it’s racist, homophobic, xenophobic, or anti-Semitic. The dark, harsh humor all adds to the realism and hostility though. This is a town in the midst of conflict, and the harsh rhetoric is what makes it believable.

This dark humor is perfectly paired with heart-wrenching emotion that catches you off guard. The mix of humor and drama in this film is perfect and feels totally natural. This movie makes you laugh, even when it is inappropriate to do so, but it is not afraid to bring you to tears either. There are some seriously deep and emotional scenes in this film, and they are just as memorable as the irreverent humor.

The acting in this film is also excellent. As I said before, Frances McDormand and Woody Harrelson are legends, and they once again prove themselves to be powerhouse performers. Sam Rockwell also gives an impressive performance and masterfully handles the complex character arch of a bigoted police officer. Everyone in this film, however, did a great job. Lucas Hedges, who gave a moving performance in Lady Bird, impressed here as well in another supporting role, and Peter Dinklage, a fan favorite, is at his absolute best. The star power behind this film is impressive, and they definitely do not disappoint with their performances.

This is masterclass filmmaking at its finest. While I personally prefer Call Me By Your Name and Lady Bird over this, this is still a phenomenal film that is an absolute blast to watch while also being impressively deep and emotional. This is a pitch black drama-comedy through and through, and it is of incredibly high quality. It is a cool, courageous film, and that is the only way I can think to say it and keep it school-appropriate. It is sick (and I mean that as a compliment).