Superb Acting

Rating: 9/10 (25 March 2018)

Oscar Nominations:
Three Billboards is chock-ful of surprises. About the time you think you know what's next, it turns out you were dead wrong and something entirely different happens. It just isn't possible to guess where this movie is going. And that's clearly the fun with this movie.
Although it doesn't really deal with a 'fun' topic. It's mostly about anger. At the beginning of the movie, Mildred Hayes (McDormand's character) has lost her daughter to tragic and disturbing circumstances. Although the local police department has apparently made some effort at solving the case, the DNA evidence leads nowhere and the cops are stymied both by the lack of leads and personal reasons. Mildred, angered by the lack of justice, vents on them.
But anger is a dangerous emotion that often gets channeled in unexpected directions. We never have all the facts and the conclusions we reach, especially in anger, can turn around and bite in the most unforeseen ways. Sometimes the fallout can be funny, as it often is in this movie. But it can also turn tragic, and it does here too.
A huge part of the success of this movie ascribes to Frances McDormand. She won the Leading Actress Oscar for her performance here and, although I haven't seen any of the other nominated performances yet, I can imagine she deserves it. But then, when does she not return a terrific performance? She is best known for playing supporting character roles and was nominated for Supporting Actress Oscars for North Country, Almost Famous, and Mississippi Burning. But probably her most famous role was as Marge Gunderson in Fargo where her understated performance constantly moved back and forth between comedy and drama. She won the Oscar for that performance and brings many of the same characterizations to this role, twenty-two years later.
She does not operate in a vacuum. She has two wonderful supporting actors to play off in this film. Woody Harrelson plays, in his typically droll way, Willoughby, the small town sheriff. Willoughby is really trying hard to make a life for himself, his family, and his town, but is unable to make it due to problems entirely beyond his control. Harrelson has been remarkably active in the last few years, appearing in five other movies released this year, including an 'apocalyptic' role in War for the Planet of the Apes. He has received Oscar nominations for his performance in this movie, as well as in The Messenger, and The People vs. Larry Flynt. His career dates back to his role in 1985 in the TV series Cheers, and has starred in dozens of movies since then. His anger in Three Billboards is perhaps the most inconsolable and is resolved unexpectedly.
Sam Rockwell plays the most troubled character, James Dixon, and the one with the most uncontrolled anger. His arises from deep psychological problems generated by a severely dysfunctional family. Dixon's role is pivotal and seems to provide the emotional energy that drives everyone else. Rockwell won the Oscar this year for Supporting Actor and this was his first nomination. Although he has appeared in dozens of movies, almost entirely in supporting roles, I can't say that I recognized him. After his performance here, and his Oscar win, I suspect we will be seeing more of him.
To have three actors in one movie all receiving Oscar nominations (and two of them winning), is not very common. Last movie with ensemble recognition that I can remember would be American Hustle. But what that should tell you is that the acting is tremendous. And when you get three superior actors interacting in the same movie, the effects are enhanced and reinforced. They play off each other to best advantage, and result in a more powerful film. (Shape of Water, the Best Picture winner, also had three actors nominated.)
But, importantly, this isn't just an acting vehicle. Martin McDonagh wrote and directed the film, and received a writing nomination. He also received a Screenplay nomination for In Bruges which shares similar qualities with this movie in tone and story-line. Both films oscillate between comedy and drama, both films have an undercurrent of violence (maybe a tad stronger in the former movie), and both films leave you a little shocked at your own reaction. McDonaghs credits, as both writer and director, are a short list at this point, but he is still young enough that we will likely hear more from him. Although Three Billboards is a good movie, I don't think McDonagh has yet earned an Oscar.
Finally, the movie received two more, below-the-line, nominations, although it did not win either. The Film Editing, by Jon Gregory (who also did In Bruges) was indeed tight, but I think Baby Driver was more successful. And Carter Burwell was nominated for his Original Score. He did the music for Fargo and appears to have some insight into McDormand's characters. He was also nominated for the music for Carol from two years ago. His music is quirky enough to fit the twists and turns of this film.
This movie is far from perfect, as many critic and audience reviews point out. There are so many points in the movie that one could identify as unrealistic and improbable. If you require complete fidelity to the real world, then you are likely to be disappointed in Three Billboards. But if you want to experience a look into how people in today's world handle anger in all its manifestations, then the movie provides both funny and serious food for thought.