The Most Unpredictable Film of the Year

Rating: 9/10 (1 December 2017)

It's not that I like watching depressing films, but there's a strange appeal I have in watching films where people go through seriously tragic and heart-wrenching events. I think it's more of an appeal to go through emotions that you don't normally feel type of thing. And really, that's what movies are for in my opinion, to get a specific emotion out of the audience. Three Billboards was one of the most effective films of the year in that regard. I felt every emotion the film was trying to convey, and to the film's credit, that was a widespread range of emotions.
Classified as a dark comedy, Three Billboards is about a mother still grieving over her daughters rape and murder 7 months ago, so she decides to put up messages on billboards directed at the town's police department, and their lack of effort towards arresting the perpetrator. A powerful synopsis at that, but the film never takes itself too far in one particular direction in emotion. There are a few laugh out loud scenes but I was never taken out of the film with misplaced humor. There were plenty of dark themed sequences and discussions had throughout the film, but they were far from being emotionally manipulative. In that sense, this is easily one of the most well-balanced films of the year.
Let's talk about the cast for a second, because it almost sounds too good to be true. Frances McDorman plays the mother of a murdered child who is cynical and suppresses her emotions. Woody Harrelson plays a hardened cop who is well-respected around town. And Sam Rockwell is the lazy and vile cop who constantly doesn't live up to the expectations set by his peers. Those three alone are perfect casting, and that's not even mentioning the supporting cast. Director Martin McDonagh did a wonderful job of bringing Oscar caliber performances out of the three of them.
He also manages to direct the film in an unconventional and unpredictable way. Several times I was stunned by some of the decisions these characters made, but then after sitting down and thinking it through, it's exactly what those people would have done in those particular situations. When a film can surprise you while never letting that surprise be manipulative, that's the sign of a great director. If he's not nominated for best director, I will be very disappointed.
As I said up top, I want to be emotionally moved by every film I see. Whether that be laughing, crying, or on the edge my seat with overwhelming enjoyment, that's all I can really ask of a film. As Jim Valvano once said, there are three things you should do every day: laugh, think, and cry, and Three Billboards managed to put me through those three things several times in under 2 hours. That's one heck of a movie.
9.5/10