Missouri Burning

Rating: 5/10 (1 March 2018)

Sure, it was funny. Should've it been?
Could you watch an incredibly tense and sad movie about a school shooting and wonder why they didn't add more humor to it?
This movie somehow wanted to be Fargo, but so much more serious. It had the crimes - so many, MANY crimes - and yet, the guilty seemingly kept getting away with literal murder, but since it was "justified," it was okay.
Yeah, I laughed out loud and agreed with a lot of the protagonist's monologues, but that doesn't make what we see on screen okay. Nor does it make the incredibly annoying dipshit deputies' actions okay.
Basically, a broken mother's daughter is brutalized and killed which follows an inept and racist police force to do nothing. So, she takes Death Wish matters into her own hands and all-but makes a comedy out of the serious situation.
This very much felt like a Coen brothers' feature, except the blend of real and slapstick did not work. I could be in near tears for the tragedies displayed or the GOTCHA! moments and instead of easing into a spoof-like comedy bit, it just hit me like a two by four. I think it would've worked so much better if it chose which movie it wanted to be: screwball comedy or serious drama.
That all said, again, it was absolutely hilarious in moments and really heartbreaking in others. I guess if you wanted to see horrifying tragedies with out-of-place hilarity, this is the Best Pic Nom for you.
***
Final thoughts: As for the Oscars, it's a no for Best Pic from me, a BIG NO for Sam Rockwell, a maybe for Woody Harrelson and screenplay and a pretty big YES for Frances McDormand who is, by far, the best aspect of this movie.