I honestly don't remember rating a movie 10/10. Most are not that close to ideal. "Ebbing" is.

Rating: 10/10 (3 February 2018)

Woah, didn't see that coming. I have stumbled across a perfect movie. I honestly can't remember the last time I gave 10 out of 10, because almost all of them could be better in some small but important regard.
But this is one of those rarest of times when the perfect score seems only fitting. "Ebbing" is such a joy in more than one way, unexpected pleasure bomb of a movie, a magnificent achievement in every major aspect, that could not be better in any realistic way.
I mean, theoretically everything could be better in some way, but I stress "any realistic way". The makers seem to have achieved everything they were aiming for, and they aimed for top marks.
You could call it a black comedy and that's surely how the have promoted it, but like the best of what modern cinema and series have to offer, it doesn't really cling to any strict genre.
There's comedy, mostly the sort of what many would call cruel, but funny and always razor sharp. There's some moving, authentic drama that will just break your silly little heart. And although there's not much action, there's also at least a hint of violence - the delicious, movie-style violence which will shock you at times but is eminently watchable all the same.
And all that is built on irresistible cocktail of writer-director clearly on top of his game, knowing exactly what he has wants to show and say, and then letting it happen through story, dialogue and performances so precisely formed, striking, original and enjoyable that it makes most of the other movies seem kind of amateurish (2017 or any other year, take your pick).
"Ebbing" also has a helluva cast of thespians, including Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson, Abbie Cornish, Lucas Hedges, Caleb Landry Jones, Peter Dinklage, John Hawkes, Zelijko Ivanek... Or movie lover's dream for short, every performer committed and on his/her usual top quality level.
No point of waxing lyrical about all of their virtues, this is the best ensemble any moviemaker - or, indeed, viewer - could ask for. I will save you and myself some time and just say: they will make you glad that you are movie lover.
It's not acting, it's the gates of heaven opening up and sending you your own personal Frances McDormand, one of the best actresses in the history of American movies, ready to insult and attack you (verbally) in myriad inventive ways. Supported by so many great performances by others that you wouldn't have enough fingers to count them all.
McDonagh has not only added a lot of colorful characters - it's not an achievement in itself - but has also given attention to and found room for everybody, so they feel like a meaningful addition to what's happening on screen.
Even the smaller roles by actors that I haven't even mentioned feel like they are justified to exist, they are not just helping to move the plot along. Everybody feels like a human being, not a character or plot device.
And all this is done, somehow, with McDormand's character surely in the center, never losing sight from her story and importance of tying everything together. That's a masterclass in writing if there ever was one!
Not to mention the dialogue which is always fresh, brutal in its honesty and always able to surprise you a little. The same goes to story itself, which finds a lot of ways to surprise, and not twist and turn as you would yould expect.
All this yakking, and I haven't even mentioned that the story is deep too. This dimension is what gives the movie its true flavor, and at the same time makes it hard to stomach to many.
On this deeper level, "Ebbing" is about the irrational rage that is eating the modern man, you, me and seemingly everybody.
We have no natural enemies, many of us find no ways to spend the adrenaline that our bodies create, and very few of us have been taught from the childhood to understand our aggressive tendencies, or to deal with them.
Even worse, the society actively encourages to push it down and act like it's not there. No wonder there's a lot of pent-up anger not obedient to reasoning, always looking for the safe target to shoot at and get at least a moment of relief.
And being in the vicious circle of it, or personally inclined to attach to it and identify yourself through it, one can't hope for it to just go away. It's one of the biggest problem of the modern society, really, and high time someone showed that on screen.
Writer-director Martin McDonagh has previously entertained us with 2008's "In Bruges" and 2012's "Seven Psychopaths", both mixing action, drama and comedy, both original and pretty, pretty good.
But "Ebbing" is his magnum opus, which makes a lot of people wish a lot more of works from him, surely.
I tend to write my reviews as soon as possible after watching a movie. Not so with "Ebbing". I just couldn't write it asap. I had to let it all set, and get used to the idea that my words will never meaningly convey how good it actually is.
I also needed a bit of time to get used to the idea that 2017's best movie might not be neither the mighty "Loveless" nor near-perfect "Call Me by Your Name", both of which I love dearly, but this delicious little nut of a entertainment. All hail McDonagh and his awesome gang!
"Ebbing" has already gathered 164 movie award nominations including 75 wins.
It recently got Golden Globes for best drama, screenplay, actress in drama (McDormand), and supporting actor (Rockwell). It's been also nominated for 7 Oscars, including movie, screenplay, McDormand as an actress, and two supporting actors (both Harrelson and Rockwell).
I sincerely hope that come March, the Academy will not pussy out of awarding this magnificent, sensational, powerhouse of a movie at least for those five categories mentioned above.
Yes, it has difficult, controversial topics, violence, and extremely dirty language, but who the hell cares if the result is so good?