Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - Review Thread

Here ya go, Dracula.



It's always a delight when certain films can come out of nowhere and just floor you in terms of its quality, and such was the case for me with Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. I loved writer/director Martin McDonagh's debut In Bruges and enjoyed his follow-up, Seven Psychopaths, but this is unquestionably his most accomplished work to date. In fact, this film came quite close to de-throning the one that currently sits in the top slot on this list. But even though Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri may only be in the #2 spot, it still touts what I believe to be the year's most brilliantly-constructed screenplay, to the point where I was sitting there anticipating how the next couple of scenes would play out as I was watching it. There's a clear maturity here in terms of McDonagh's material and the way he approaches it. His profanity-laced dialogue still remains intact, but his grip on tone has become extremely impressive. Three Billboards certainly has many elements of (very funny) dark comedy, but it also has just as many incredibly dramatic moments that are just as effective -- if not more so -- than the comedy. And the two never feel like they clash at all. In all honesty, the film consistently surprised me at how fluidly it could transition back and forth between the two tones. There's a multitude of themes that McDonagh's screenplay tackles -- from grief, to guilt, anger, discrimination -- and each one feels dealt with in a very organic and powerful way. Not to mention that McDonagh, as expected, provides his characters with some fantastic dialogue. And just the way he ultimately develops the plot feels very honest and true to how such a story would play out in real life. Frances McDormand absolutely crushes it in a searing performance as the lead character, Mildred Hays, and it really is a testament to her strength as an actor. Mildred may not always be the most likable person, but there's not a decision she makes throughout the course of the film that doesn't feel true to who she is. Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson are also stellar in supporting roles, and their respective arcs are another example of Martin McDonagh's storytelling abilities and how great they are. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is in many ways a fearless film, and fortunately the quality of it in the end supports said fearlessness. And I, for one, look forward to many more viewings.

****/****