“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” surprised me. Considering the political climate of today, I expected this film to deliver a one-sided, anti-police message; instead, the story draws attention to society’s frustration with corrupt police officers while creating sympathy for the inherently good police officers that put their life on the line every day. Moreover, its themes show how self-centeredness can hurt the people around you and that even terrible people have the ability to change. Frances McDormand singlehandedly creates an emotional rollercoaster as rough-around-the-edges Mildred Hayes, a role that perfectly fits her acting style. We empathize with her circumstances but see that her poor treatment of everyone around her creates an isolation when she really need supportive friends. One the finest moments of her acting career occurs when she is passionately arguing with Chief Willoughby then suddenly shows a moment of softness and sympathy. Her grit and emotion (and bunny slippers) will most likely secure her second Oscar win (20 years after her first for “Fargo”), though I believe that Sally Hawkins had the superior performance in “The Shape of Water.” Honestly, Sam Rockwell had the best performance of the film. He has been one of my favorite character actors since “The Green Mile” and should finally gain the recognition that he deserves with an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. He plays his character so vividly that you will believe that his real life persona is volatile, heartless (that window scene, wow), and a little dumb. For me, the Oscar was won with the deep emotion in his eyes between those bandages in the hospital scene. The veteran cast definitely deserved their Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast. There is no weak link in the chemistry, from Woody Harrelson’s endearing Oscar-nominated performance and Caleb Landry Jones as the likeable Red to Lucas Hedges doing his depressed teenage thing, Peter Dinklage delivering some powerful dialogue, and an absolutely hysterical turn by Samara Weaving. I don’t believe that “Three Billboards” was the best film of 2017, but it was definitely the best acted. I like the Oscar-nominated script for its ability to incorporate comedy into such a dark film, but I hate it for its pointless, endless stream of profanity. I don’t think that there was a single moment where profanity was necessary for effective dialogue or creating a sense of realism. It is just another chapter in Hollywood’s belief that audiences won’t show up for a PG-13 movie. The story is thoughtful and impeccably told, but writer/director Martin McDonagh has limited the number of people who will benefit from the themes throughout the film. Carter Burwell, the longtime film composer for McDonagh and the Coen Brothers, provides a nice soundtrack that captures the Midwestern setting of the film, but I didn’t believe it to be Oscar-worthy (especially next to Desplat, Greenwood, Williams, and Zimmer's amazing scores this year). “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” is one of the top films of 2017, especially when it comes to acting. It isn’t often that a main character can be so polarizing scene to scene (and even within the same scene) as she gains our empathy and disdain all at once. This fascinating character study is full of great acting and is sure to engage your emotions if you can stomach the overuse of profane language.
[Pictured: "Three Billboards" is an amazing tale of redemption, but not necessarily from the characters that you'd expect]
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