Review of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) by Jake T — 28 Mar 2018

Frances has a thing for dark comedies. Watch out, Joel!

THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI.

I love that Oscar season bring us some true, well-crafted gems that mix a considerable amount of dare with a fresh voice that is fully aware of his influences. I do think Oscars do tend to rely on simpler movies that are way more straight-forward and oscar-baity, but every year there are some captivating and out of the blue picks. Three Billboards stands out as a fully realized film with one of the strongest screenplays of the year which connects with a watchful director that works with his actors to develop characters in a way that feels overarching to us. And although Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson's performances are levelled representing what a supporting actor should be all about, Frances McDormand's takes the cake. Her character is one of the most gratifying and enrapturing female character of recent memory, with a woman whose emotions are played out through subtle movements, body posture and a foul mouth that makes her entirely genuine. It's enthralling to watch as Mildred deals internally with her anger and how she decides to make her actions the continuation of the fire we see in her eyes. That goes along perfectly with the movie's greatest theme: the duality of anger. We start to be fondly aware of anger, it's our way of laughing and connecting to her. Then, the movie realizes that anger is not the answer but acknowledges its importance in the process of grief. And it's in this town that is a character by itself where Mildred furthers her anger and interacts with the police force who seems ineffective. The film faultlessly develops anger throughout it and balances with a dark sense of humour, finding wit in grim situations and the playfulness of our condition as humans that don't really understand how to deal with each other. It understands that anger is inherently connected with laughter, as they fought for attention like Inside Out. Ultimately, it's the reminder that the solution in our pain isn't in the world around us and that, nonetheless, we have to make it suffer before we're at peace with ourselves.