Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri 2017

                      Go ahead try saying this title three times fast, I dare you. Here we have a rather grim movie about vengeance and redemption with some black humor thrown in the dark mix about a mother Mildred Hayes played with magnificence and aplomb by Frances McDormand,  one of our great actresses.                    
              As the film opens Mildred is still waiting after many months for the killer to be found and brought to justice for the rape and brutal killing of her daughter. Mildred is a tough cookie, strong with a big stick that she carries, without walking softly. One day she comes up with the offbeat and original idea to rent three billboards that line a road that is less traveled outside of  Ebbing and post some serious taunts and questions thrown at the sheriff on why the case of her daughter’s murder is still not solved.
                          The questions asked in bold lettering against bright red backgrounds are “Still No Arrests?” “How Come, Chief Willoughby?” And finally, “Raped While Dying” these billboards give pause and cause a lot of Sturm und Drang in the town and anger is everywhere with most of it directed towards Mildred.  Mildred herself is harsh and unforgiving with most of the people she deals with including her bright and sensitive son played by Lucas Hedges who seems as if he’s in every other film released this year  which is fine with me.
                       She has special anger for Sheriff Willoughby beautifully played by Woody Harrelson who is a decent and caring man and is well liked by the people of the town, and is facing his own uphill battles. There is also serious hostility between Mildred and the racist homophobic hick deputy Jason Dixon played by Sam Rockwell who is a sure shot to win a best supporting actor Oscar this spring.
                      Rockwell who is a mama’s boy and might be a closeted gay lives with his Mama who is the butchest mother to be seen in a movie this season and would be right at home in some lesbian bar in the village. This mama is a real doozy and brings plenty of chuckles when she is on screen. The film is written and directed by the esteemed Irish playwright Martin McDonagh who knows how to write a good line, and knows how to twist and turn a plot even though he throws in clichés and stereotypes, but even with those minuses we are still constantly surprised by the events as they occur. There is plenty of violence shown but happily the murder of Mildred’s daughter is left unseen, the evidence of it is quickly shown in some ghastly police photos.
                     This is an uneasy film, it made me uncomfortable at times, but it also gave me pleasure  which was mostly due to the writing and the terrific performances.  Unfortunately this is not a great or even a near great film, still it should be seen if for nothing else than Frances McDormand’s commanding performance that will probably win her a second Oscar.