THREE BILLBOARDS outside EBBING, Missouri  4.0***

 

Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) is a single divorced mother, who's still grieving over the horrific rape and murder of her teenage daughter, seven months earlier. She is especially upset with the local police for not making any progress in the case. So she puts up three billboards just outside town shaming them, especially Sheriff Bill Willoughby (Wood Harrelson), who's dying from pancreatic cancer. Willoughby is distressed , but it is officer Jason Dixon (Sam Rockwell), who is extremely annoyed by her actions, as well as most of the rest of the town, and Mildred and her depressed teenage son, are harassed for it. Mildred still presses on though. 

The movie is especially impressive in how it presents such a diverse range of fully developed characters, that are all flawed and yet still very relatable (as mostly likable and seemingly very real people). It's an excellent story of forgiveness and learning how to accept and tolerate those you don't agree with. The climax and ending of the movie is amazing. It's so emotionally charged and totally unpredictable that the film leaves you thinking about it, long after it's over.  

And now to the performances! Frances McDormand is simply superb! As the grieving & raging protagonist, McDormand expresses rage, helplessness & courage, with magnificence. Its a sheer pleasure to watch McDormand take on the local tough boys & scream her rage with the Billboards.   

Also in terrific form is Woody Harrelson, as the cop who McDormand throws her righteous rage at. Harrelson's sheriff is a soft spoken man, who understands the wrath of a grieving mother and accepts his inability to catch the culprit

Sam Rockwell playing the red neck yokel, racist cop routine to drawling, violent, moronic perfection, takes the billboards as a frontal attack on the police force, a slight he has no intention of letting slide.

All 3 will be nominated for Oscars (McDormand, Best Actress; and Harrelson and Rockwell for Best Supporting Actor) and McDormand and Rockwell should win.

This is one of the BEST written and performed films of the  year. A dark drama sprinkled with humor

Rated R for violence, language throughout, and some sexual references.