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Hell hath no fury like a grief-stricken mother scorned in London-born writer-director Martin McDonagh’s blackly comic thriller, which pits one vigilante parent against her local police force in a fictional midwestern town.
Impeccably scripted and blessed with a blistering lead performance from Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a near perfect film which finds itself in the right place at the right time.
McDonagh’s explosive morality tale is fuelled by the righteous anger of a spirited woman, who believes her concerns are being ignored by men in power and will not rest until all lines of inquiry have been exhausted in the pursuit of justice. Her rebel yell sparks sickening violence that may divide audiences, including one scene in a dentist’s surgery that leaves jaws truly dropped, but brutality always serves the lean, muscular narrative.
It has been seven months since Angela Hayes was abducted, raped and murdered on her way home. The dead girl’s stoic mother, Mildred (McDormand), is infuriated by the lack of progress under police chief Bill Willoughby (Woody Harrelson).
Consequently, she rents three advertising hoardings from Red Welby (Caleb Landry Jones) on the outskirts of town and emblazons each billboard with a message aimed directly at the man responsible for apprehending the culprits.
Officer Jason Dixon (Sam Rockwell), who is under the thumb of his bigoted mother (Sandy Martin), reacts violently to Mildred’s public spat with his station.
Mildred’s teenage son Robbie (Lucas Hedges) also suffers abuse at school as a result of his mother’s inflammatory actions. However, Mildred refuses to back down.
McDormand is magnificent, skilfully letting her character’s frustrations come to a boil, with harrowing consequences.
The emotional journey of Rockwell’s racist cop isn’t wholly believable but his fearless portrayal papers over the tiny cracks and there is glorious support from Harrelson.