Movie Reviews

Throwback Thursday: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

With the Golden Globes having announced their nominees for the upcoming award show, I thought it was appropriate to talk about a previous winner. 2017’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri won the Best Motion Picture – Drama award during the 75^th Golden Globes ceremony. This drama took home Golden Globes and Oscars that year, including for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor. At the time, I remember having never heard of this movie until watching the award ceremony. Even after it won, I’ve only just seen the film recently. For some reason, because Billboards were in the name, I assumed that this movie was some music-country tale and I had no interest. I couldn’t have been more wrong and I am sorry it took me so long to see this.

The Premise

Three Billboards is about a mother who takes out ads on three billboards to send a message to the police of Ebbing, Missouri. Some months back, before the start of the movie; Mildred’s (Frances McDormand) daughter was raped and killed. There hadn’t been any arrests made and Mildred was getting fed up. The billboards wrote:

“Raped While Dying”
“Still No Arrests?”
“How Come, Chief Willoughby?”

Willoughby is played by Woody Harrelson and while Willoughby is sympathetic to Mildred’s situation, he also believes that they aren’t good for the town. This sentiment is echoed not only by several townspeople, but the extremely volatile Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell). Mildred does not care, though; she wants people to be agitated. Uncomfortable. Her daughter was raped and killed and who knows if that person is going to do it again to another girl? In Mildred’s eyes, she will do whatever possible to keep her daughter’s case in the public eye.

Spoilers

The movie is largely focused around Mildred’s journey in trying to get the police to catch her daughter’s killer, but there are some side stories as well. Willoughby has cancer that is in advanced stages. While Harrelson is great at playing the typical asshole character, he has a much more understanding and forgiving demeanor. Willoughby wants to bring Mildred’s killer to justice, but his hands are tied. At some point, Willoughby makes the decision to kill himself, to spare his family from having to see his health deteriorate in the upcoming months. He leaves a letter for Mildred wishing her good luck and to let her know he paid for the next month to keep the billboards up, as he did think they were a good idea.

Willoughby also leaves a letter for Dixon. At this point, Dixon has not only wrongfully arrested Mildred’s friend just to get back at her, but thrown someone out the window for not taking the billboards down. Dixon reads the letter in the police station, which details Willoughby’s perception of Dixon and how deep down, he’s a decent man. A decent man who needs to let go of his anger and welcome love into his heart. Dixon does not realize that the police station is on fire and Mildred does not realize that someone is inside when she sets it on fire. Dixon lives, but is horribly burnt. He ends up in the same room at the hospital as the man he threw out the window (Welby). Dixon tearfully apologizes and while Welby, at first; is reluctant to accept his apology, he does pour him orange juice.

The Ending

Rockwell’s performance as Dixon is compelling and is a story of redemption. Where Dixon and Mildred started out as enemies, they are the two who are most dedicated to the cause at the end of the movie. Others are helpful, as well – such as when someone burns the billboards down; several people help put them back up. At some point, Dixon overhears a man bragging about raping and killing a young girl at a bar. He purposely fights this man to get his DNA, to test it and see if he is Angela’s killer. He isn’t, but Mildred and Dixon regardless set off on a mission to kill the man. I suppose, in their mind; they’re gunning so badly for justice that if it is not to avenge Angela, at least they can avenge another girl. As well as preventing this man from doing it again. During their car ride, Mildred confesses to setting the fire, though; Dixon is not surprised. And this is how the movie ends.

What I Liked

What I enjoyed about this movie was how well it portrayed a mother’s pain in light of losing a child. Not only that, but it contended with how frustrating the legal and waiting process can feel. How it feels to watch the authorities not react quick enough and feel as if you are a nuisance for wanting your daughter’s murderer brought to justice. At the same time, it showed how frustrating it is for law enforcement to feel inadequate. It showed redemption, as well as not allowing “bygones to be bygones”. Mildred was not backing down, no matter who was against her.

What I Disliked

What I didn’t particularly like about this movie were a few things. I felt the story of Mildred’s ex-husband and his nineteen-year-old girlfriend pointless. Though, I do suppose it was there to show that Mildred didn’t harbor resentment against the girlfriend? If anything, she tells her ex at some point to be good to his new girlfriend. Another storyline that I felt wasn’t needed was Peter Dinklage’s James. Not that Dinklage wasn’t needed, as he’s one of the best actors out there. But, his character didn’t serve any purpose other than to be degraded and hurt. I also did think it was a little bit of a cop-out to have Mildred and Dixon go ‘well, we can’t find Angela’s killer, so let’s just kill this other guy’ – completely abandoning the main plot of the movie.

Rating: 4.5/5

Either way, both McDormand and Rockwell were unbelievably good. I had wished the movie had had the promotion it deserved in 2017, but I am glad it was at least recognized by the academy.

What did you think of Three Billboards?