A talented, all-star cast. An interesting concept. Loads of buzz, including Best Picture talk. I was curious and excited for what “Three Billboards” had to offer.
Director Martin McDonagh gives us over-the-top situations, events and people to form a dark comedy about the assaulted/murder of a young woman.
Three Billboards” is a dark comedy; the breakdown is easily 75% comedy, 25% drama. McDonagh (“Seven Psychopaths”) stays true to his style with an off-kilter tone, some occasional ridiculously violent moments and a whole lot of unlikely dialogue.
The story is set in the small, fictional town of Ebbing, Mo. Frances McDormand plays Mildred Hayes. It’s her teenage daughter who was assaulted and burned to death about a year ago. The local police still do not have a suspect in the case. So a frustrated Mildred decides to buy space on three billboards just outside of town, asking Police Chief Willoughby (played by Woody Harrelson) why there’s been no progress in catching her daughter’s killer.
Instead, McDonagh takes this idea and creates a wacky world of goofballs: McDormand’s Hayes is in a take no prisoners mind set because of the personal trauma she’s dealing with. The police department is filled with racist psychopaths, led by deputy Dixon, played by Sam Rockwell – whose behavior goes completely unchallenged for most of the film. Think of him as a sinister Barney Fife.
The local dentist is a bully. Mildred’s ex-husband (John Hawkes) is dating the ditsy 19-year-old trophy girlfriend (that reminds me of Kandi from “Two and a half Men”. There’s a secret surrounding Chief Willoughby, a mysterious stranger who passes through town who may or may not be involved in the killing and even a town “little person”, played by Peter Dinklage who happens to be a car salesmen also gets the short end of midget jokes (no pun intended).
The rest of “Three Billboards” is goofy, odd and at times unimaginable. Could you imagine a deputy, in broad daylight, walking across the street from the police station, breaking into the office of a business owner and throwing him out of a two-story window? Rockwell has delivered an excellent performance as a nearly cartoonish cop.
McDormand’s Mildred is a smart-aleck, wise-cracking, crowd-pleaser. At one point she physically attacks two teenagers standing outside a high school, in plain view of dozens of other students, teachers and parents. In response no one moves in shock. This lady has had enough with the system; she’s on a no-holds-barrel action mission to find answers.
It’s hard to fathom a topic of this nature being turned in to a comedy but the film makers do an amazing job. Kind of draws the same emotions as “Mrs. Doubtfire” which also dealt with a dark storyline.
Rated R for violence, language throughout, and some sexual references
Now Streaming on ClearPlay
I give it an A+
