so many issues

Rating: 6/10 (18 March 2018)

In the town of Ebbing, Missouri, Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) rents three billboards on an isolated road to berate police chief Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) for his failure to find her daughter's killer. Willoughby is actually dying from cancer and the town ostracizes her. Dixon (Sam Rockwell) is a volatile racist deputy living with his overbearing mother.
British Irish filmmaker Martin McDonagh tackles Americana. He has incorporated plenty of American issues but it's done as an outsider looking in. I wonder if Rockwell starts his performing with an American director, he wouldn't be told to take it a different way. His action in the middle of the movie is absolutely crazy. The aftermath needs more expanding rather than a simple firing. I can't believe that he's not locked up. Then his character takes a 180 turn as the movie climaxes. He leaves the movie a two dimensional billboard rather than a fully formed human character. I am much more impressed with Mildred, Willoughby, and their connection. McDormand delivers a driven character of the first order and Harrelson is more human in his reservation. There is real power behind their performances whereas Rockwell is doing a cartoon. I am surprised at its critical love. Some of this is funny and there are plenty of intriguing characters. The issues are so important that I can't take this as satire. I have issues.