The Best of the Year? Not Quite.

Rating: 7/10 (21 February 2018)

Engaging, interesting, deep, but poorly-paced. Those are the best words that come to mind after I finished re-watching Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
This was my first Martin McDonagh film and it encouraged me to check out his two, much better, previous films -- Seven Psychopaths and In Bruges. If you enjoyed the unpredictable storytelling of any one of his films, but have not watched them all, you will also enjoy his unpredictable, unique narrative structure of his other films, which particularly shines in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. His characters are all well-developed, although some are more interesting and watchable than others. Three Billboards is no exception. The story is very smart and serious, even though the screenplay is as hilarious as the subject matter is dark.
Frances McDormand plays Mildred Hayes, a woman grieving after the rape and murder of her daughter. After months of the local police doing nothing for her case, she takes justice into her own hands, first in the form of three billboards calling out the police chief, Woody Harrelson's Chief Willoughby. As the story unravels and the tension builds, the message becomes more and more clear, until it is finally spoken in simple, obvious terms that ruins the subtlety and intelligence of the screenplay. However, the characters are still deep, emotional, and well-developed throughout even when the screenplay falters.
I particularly enjoyed the development and arc of Sam Rockwell's racist police officer, Dixon. At first, he is given the simple, one-dimensional characterization that causes viewers to dismiss him as the villain, or at least an obstacle in the way of the protagonist. Over halfway through, a realization dawns on viewers that sets the stage for the wonderful message: Maybe the hero seeking justice is just as bad as the racist cop. The theme of anger begetting anger is brilliantly told through the characters and their actions in the story.
The setting is also just as important in this movie as many of the characters are. By naming the town fictionally, it is easier to understand how these characters with unrealistic traits and qualities would interact and live in a town like this. Although the characters seem unrealistic, their emotions are certainly real and relatable. McDonagh has a preference for naming his films literally and directly from what the story is about. Ebbing, Missouri is a place of receding hope and grief. In other words, the love, hope, and optimism in Ebbing, Missouri ebbs away as the film progresses and the characters act more and more.
The largest flaw I have with this film is the pacing of the third act. The first two acts were exceptionally well-made/paced and evoke strong reactions from the audience. Once the majority of the story has been told and the events laid out for us, the film comes screeching to halt, but doesn't end. After the climactic sequence, the story slowly (slower than you can imagine) crawls to its conclusion. As a result, the conclusion leaves viewers thinking, "Finally!" where it could have left us thinking that it was shorter than it actually is. To quote Roger Ebert in his A Clockwork Orange review, "You know there's something wrong with a movie when the last third feels like the last half," and those words have never applied to a film more than Three Billboards.
While I still encourage you all to see this (in theaters if possible), it's also important that you know your tastes. If you prefer dark comedy and a subtle, smart story, this is definitely for you. If you hate comedy mixed with serious subject matters and prefer faster-paced films, maybe seek out Dunkirk or Wonder Woman. I happen to be a part of the former and enjoyed this film's mix of dark comedy and somber atmosphere. I also feel that I must admit this: After the Golden Globe awards, I felt highly unsatisfied that Three Billboards won in many major categories and that likely led to me thinking this film is slightly worse than it actually is. While it deserves many of the awards that it has gotten (and is likely to receive), The Shape of Water will always be my favorite of the year, no matter how unpredictable, refreshing, and memorable Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is.
4/5 stars.