Powerful

Rating: 9/10 (15 March 2018)

What a fascinating and powerful drama! Without spoiling any details of the story, it was about a woman, based in a small town Ebbing, Missouri, who had lost her child owing to a hideous crime, and had decided to challenge the local authorities to investigate into the murder of her daughter.
To prompt such investigation, she had rented three massive billboard asking a rather straightforward question: who is accountable for such grotesque crimes? This led a wave of fury amongst the local town people, who showed their support to the local sheriff, and questioned the motive of the mother. Laying it out there serves as a hotbed of back-and-forth drama (and ensuing mistrust) between the local police and the woman, in question.
The star of the film, for me, was the cop played by Sam Rockwell, who is absolutely detestable to watch at the beginning of the film. Not because of his questionable practices (in one instance, he beats billboard owner for the reasons that have no bearing on a crime or an offence) but because of his redeeming qualities. His character represents one of those stubborn individuals who are so set in their ways that they cease to understand the world around them. They know that something is inherently wrong with their thinking but they continue to indulge in it anyway without any regard to the people or things around them. And as I said earlier, it was the redeeming quality - and its realisation of it - that made me love the character towards the second half of the film.
The movie is peppered with black humour throughout, and evokes all sorts of emotions: empathy, rage, frustration, and finally, hope. For me it was the best film of the last year and it should have won the best picture at the Oscars.
I highly recommend it.