A Great Dark Comedy that Echos the Style of the Coen Brothers

Rating: 9/10 (28 October 2017)

I had the pleasure of seeing the local premiere of Three Billboard outside of Ebbing, Missouri tonight at the Paramount Theater as part of Austin Film Festival. The film's style and humor is reminiscent of some of the better early Coen Brothers films (Blood Simple, Fargo, and Raising Arizona). The writer/director has basically stolen their style. Basically, a story that on paper is very dark and serious played with characters that are essentially humorous for dark comedic effect. The presence of Francis McDormand more-or- less completes the linkage. (She may well earn another Oscar nomination.) The film is deeply disturbing built around a mother's quest for justice after her daughter's violent death, themes of death and dying, police incompetence and brutality, and hints of racism and spousal abuse. At the same time, it can be hysterically funny and absurd. You want to laugh during one scene and cry during the next. The dis-functionality of just about every character is somehow both disturbing and hilarious. I think like the Coen Brothers, writer/director Martin McDonagh want you to take the issues raised seriously, but perhaps not to take ourselves too seriously. Overall, the acting and directing by a stellar cast is first-rate. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates this sort of dark comedy.