Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Review

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a dark tragicomedy written and directed by British-Irish writer/ director Martin McDonagh. It is set in the fictional small town of Ebbing, Missouri in Southern America; home to melancholy, racism and violence. The story centres around Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) a weather-beaten, middle-aged mother who is grieving the loss of her teenage daughter who was raped and murdered. Her killer has yet to be found seven months later.

Unsatisfied by the efforts by the local police Mildred takes it upon herself to rent three billboards to name and shame the leading officer Chief Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) and highlight the lack of action taken to solve her daughter’s case. The town is outraged by this act of defamation which was the desired effect Mildred was hoping for. Willoughby with health troubles of his own refuses to be provoked by this act and re-opens the case, however his co-worker Officer Dixon is less obliging.

This film is filled with three dimensional characters that are all flawed in their own way. The racist, incompetent Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell) who still lives with his mother provides many moments of comic relief and displays both cruelty and compassion and in a surprising turn of events, integrity. Unlikely alliances is a strong theme throughout this film and characters that have gone out of their way to hurt and destroy each other show forgiveness and understanding.

This film will move you, surprise you and make you laugh out loud in inappropriate places .It is also accompanied by a killer soundtrack which displays country music at its finest and demonstrates the true soul, melancholy and painful history of the South. McDormand’s performance as Mildred is outstanding and she demonstrates intelligence, ferocity and strength in this role. This is a subtle, well told story which takes you in and challenges your views on morality.