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Kevin Michael Vance
Writer - Portland, Oregon
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Title: THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI
Director: Martin McDonagh
Year: 2017
Reviewed: March 16, 2018
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Birthday Cake-Second Highest Rating |
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"Three Billboards" is an interesting movie, but it confused me greatly. Martin McDonagh is a brilliant writer. 2008's "In Bruges" is the best movie to have come out that year; it should have won an Oscar, and it is as close to being perfect as any movie could be. His sophomore film "Seven Psychopaths" is convoluted, and yet entertaining, with likeable imperfect characters and the same dry dark humor found in "In Bruges". "Three Billboards" is a completely different beast. I think I disliked it more than I liked it. Throughout the whole film I was left, as mentioned above, confused. There was no sure-footing in this story because there are no real likable characters (unlike "Bruges" and "Psychopaths"). I am fine with an imperfect character. I am fine with a complicated story. But, for my part, I think "Billboards" lacked the wit and dark comedy of its two predecessors; not to mention the fact that it is hard to root for a racist and violent cop, let alone a grieving mother who goes so far as to fire-bomb a police station. Also, I do not think Frances McDormand deserved an Oscar for her performance, nor did Sam Rockwell for that matter. Both actors I love, and both actors did well in the film. However, McDormand's character in "Fargo" was much more endearing and engrossing than her take of Mildred in "Billboards". And Rockwell's performance just seemed like standard goofy Rockwell fair; which I love! But is it worthy of an Oscar? No. What he deserved was an Oscar for his performance in "Moon". And then there's Peter Dinklage a wonderful actor who just seems like a random player in everything, and even more so, superfluous. The situations in which these awful characters are thrust are simply ridiculous. I'm pretty sure if a police officer beat the shit out of someone for no reason and then threw him out a window... I da'know... he might get in trouble or jailed or something. Not to mention the randomness of the story; especially the crazy character that walks into the gift shop and who may, or may not, have murdered a girl. Strange. Random. Confusing.
"Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" left me wanting and confused, with no likable characters and therefore no ability to grasp the material intellectually it struck me almost like an emotional torture porn film: simply wallowing in the dread and horror that can accompany life. And I haven't even talked about the ending. While watching the movie, I said to myself, "that's it... that is how you're going to end it?"
"Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri" gets a BIRTHDAY CAKE review, and is by far my least favorite McDonagh movie.
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