Review of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Cast:  Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, John Hawkes, Peter Dinklage, Abbie Cornish, Caleb Landry Jones

Director:  Martin McDonagh

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is the story of a grief stricken mother who decides to put up three large billboards on the outskirts of town with the sole purpose of mocking the police’s investigation into her daughter’s murder.

Let’s jump right into this.  Academy award winning director/writer Martin McDonagh has only made 3 feature films including this one and all three are amazing.  In Bruges (it’s a real place) & Seven Psychopaths (title sounds worse than it is) are his two prior films and along with Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri are written with amazing humor, heart, and realism.  The two stand out stars of this film are (and I’m sorry Woody), Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell.  They both did outstanding jobs.  Let’s begin with Frances McDormand.  She knocks it out of the park with this character.  She hasn’t been this good since her Oscar Winning role in Fargo.  Now that’s not saying she hasn’t done anything since then.  She was terrific in Promised Land and Burn After Reading, but this is one of those rare performances you can tell the actor just “gets it”.  Right from the start of the movie you literally were not watching McDormand, you were watching Mildred Hayes.  She commands your attention effortlessly in every scene and you feel so much for her that you know when she laughs, you can laugh.  When she cries, you can cry.  And when she is raging…and she DOES RAGE, you are right there with her cheering her on.

Now…(take a breath because there’s more).  

On to Mr. Sam Rockwell.  I love Sam Rockwell.  I think he’s one of the most talented actors working today.  When McDormand is not on the screen, you’re looking for Rockwell and with good reason too because he hasn’t been this good since Seven Psychopaths, Moon (it’s hard to play ping pong against yourself btw), and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Zaphod Beeblebrox made that movie).  Rockwell plays the dimwitted short tempered police officer that has no problem saying what is on his mind…and he does… A LOT.  I don’t think anyone could have played this role better than Sam Rockwell.  I don’t know if it’s because he loves working with the director/writer (Martin McDonagh) or if he is finally just hitting that stride you want to see actors go through where they just can’t be touched, but whatever it is…Rockwell is on his way to a level of success that I can not wait to see.  My suggestion is to go see Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri in the theater.  It’s definitely worth your money.  The story is solid and the acting is incredible.  You’ll thank me when the Oscars come around.  Until next time, thanks for reading.

This humble opinion was brought to you by T. K. Edwards