The Best Film of 2017

Rating: 10/10 (2 June 2018)

'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' is undoubtedly the best film of 2017, due to its gripping storyline, stellar acting and witty screenplay.
Frances McDormand leads out this film with a tour de force performance that proves she is one the best actresses working today, and that she should definitely win her Academy Award for Best Actress. Her tough, yet broken character is brought to life and McDormand essentially steals every scene she is in. Not only is McDormand great in this, but pretty much every cast member does a superb job in their, with a special mention to Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson and Lucas Hedges.
The unique plot of this film causes it to stand out to other films in its genre and is gripping the whole way through. The ending of the film may have left some viewers dissatisfied and wanting more, but I perceived it as being the perfect kind of ending; it concludes the story while also continuing on the lives of the characters. Kind of how the end of this story is the beginning of a new one.
Throughout the film, there is never a dull moment and will keep its viewers on edge. It's underlying themes of racism (and the way this film approached it) has stirred some controversy and deemed problematic, which I disagree with. Just because it doesn't become a major plot line does not mean it's unimportant or taking the subject lightly. I believe that it was intended to illustrate how racists Rockwell's character is and that was the sole purpose. And that is fine for this film. Additionally, those who protest the transformation of Rockwell's character into a hero have honestly gotten it wrong - he is still an asshole, he is still a bigot, he is still a racist. But he is changing. He hasn't changed, but he is rather in the process of doing so. By the end of the film, we have seen him begin his process of changing and certainly doing good for the protagonist but it still doesn't justify his previous actions and neither does the film try to do so.
The overall atmosphere and tone of the film is extremely gloomy and is balanced out with it's witty (and rough) screenplay that ends up turning the film into an absurd dark-comedy that is ultimately widely entertaining. Who would have thought that Frances McDormand hurling all kinds of insults at a reporter as she drives by, would end up being one of the most entertaining scenes of 2017? Overall, this film is a triumph in every way possible and consequently has become my favourite film of 2017.