Review of Wind River (2017) by Larry C — 01 Mar 2018

Having just seen this and "Three Billboards..." on back-to-back nights, I can't believe Three Billboards was nominated for Best Picture and this wasn't. The only explanation is that Harvey Weinstein once breathed on this script and voters are punishing the filmmakers for even the smallest hint of prior association with him.

Both movies deal with similar things, that of the loss of a daughter killed in horrific circumstances and the search for justice in a hostile environment, Wind River is much more lifelike and doesn't try so hard to parlay cause célèbres and patch erratic and bewildering storylines with hyperbolic attitude as Three Billboards does.

Wind River is grounded in a sense of grim reality and has an actual ending whereas Three Billboards features a comical set of actions that have no consequences like Wile E. Coyote falling off of a cliff.

I didn't really hate Three Billboards, this movie is just way better than it is.