Written and directed by In Bruges' Martin McDonagh, and with a cast that includes Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson and Peter Dinklage, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri has been tipped to be the big winner at this year's Academy Awards... but is it actually any good?
Awards season is officially here. The Golden Globes has been and gone, the BAFTA’s have released their nominations and the Oscars 2018 suddenly doesn’t seem too far away. But, unlike previous years, there isn’t an obvious favourite this year. In fact, most categories are still wide open. But, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is proving itself to be a serious contender after winning four Golden Globes including Best Actress for Frances McDormand and Best Drama Motion Picture.
The film is based on a mother named Mildred (played by McDormand) whose daughter was raped and killed seven months previously, but the police still have no leads. She uses her anger as motivation to push the cops to work harder at finding the killer. She comes up with the idea of renting three billboards out, with the message “Raped while dying. And still no arrests? How come, Chief Willoughby?” plastered across them. Naturally, it catches the attention of the town, especially when she voluntarily talks about the billboards on the news.
However, where you’d expect there to be sympathy for her, it seems people are more bothered about protecting their police force. Their police force that includes at least one cop who beats up black people for fun. This cop, Dixon (played by Sam Rockwell), is perhaps the most intriguing character of all. He’s racist, he’s violent, he’s drunk on power. Simply, he’s everything a policeman shouldn’t be. But Rockwell plays the character in a way that stops him from being two dimensional. Whether you can ever forgive the character for the hate and violence he has incited is down to you as an audience member. But one thing is for sure, it’s the best performance Sam Rockwell has ever produced, and in a way, the character is mesmerising.
Despite that, he’s certainly not the star. McDormand’s Mildred is quite frankly superb. This is a woman who’s never had it easy. She’s been abused by her husband, she’s had issues with her two kids, and then loses her daughter in the most tragic and heart-wrenching way. On top of that, she’s still had no justice. But Mildred isn’t broken. You’d be forgiven for assuming she’s lost the ability to feel emotion, but the rare glimpses into her softer side offer a vulnerability that instantly makes you feel connected to her. For example, a certain scene when Mildred is planting flowers on the spot her daughter was killed, and a beautiful deer approaches just for a moment would warm the coldest of hearts. She’s hard, she’s stubborn, she’s seemingly got a heart of stone, but you’re never not on her side. That’s what makes the character so brilliant, and shows why McDormand truly deserve her Golden Globe.
It’s completely understandable as to why this film has award nominations coming out of its’ ears
Ok, so the film sounds pretty dark so far but it’s worth remembering this does have a comedic aspect, and the balance between serious drama and hilarious one-liners is perfect. There’s not a single character in the entire film that doesn’t at some point make you laugh. But, you may lose count of the amount of scenes that will make you cry. The ending however, isn’t sad, and that’s what stops you from leaving the cinema feeling utterly depressed. The film is so full of substance, it manages to avoid the all-too-familiar melancholic feeling from stories about such gruesome crimes.
The real selling point of this film is the poignancy of the current world we live in. We’re learning more and more every day about police brutality, especially in America, and in particular towards people of colour. We’re now learning that the sexual abuse scandal that’s taken over Hollywood is in fact effecting every industry. Women not being taken seriously is another issue that’s gained huge prominence and backing in recent years. The movie is never scared to tackle these issues head on.
It’s completely understandable as to why this film has award nominations coming out of its’ ears. The characters are incredibly written and acted, proving that not one person is two dimensional and everyone has good and bad in them. The story is one that you simply can’t pull yourself away from. The perfectly balanced moments of serious drama and humour are harmonious. The film is an absolute must-see, and completely deserving of all nominations and awards it is presented with.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is screening at Broadway Cinema until Thursday 25 January
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