THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI SPEC D: Martin McDonagh. USA. 115 min. Sep 11, 6 pm, Ryerson Sep 12, 2 pm, Princess of Wales Sep 15, 6 pm, Princess of Wales Sep 17, 3 pm, Elgin. Rating: NNNNN
A small town is ripped apart by an unsolved murder in writer/director McDonagh latest, best feature.
Seven months after her daughter’s horrible death, Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) commissions three billboards asking Sheriff Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) why no arrests have been made. This simple, entirely understandable act winds up creating a domino effect of tragedy and unexpected reconciliations.
McDonagh’s working in his sweet spot of moral ambiguity, creating characters who seem either clearly good or clearly monstrous and putting them against one another to reveal a deeper, more troubling reality.
McDormand and Harrelson are tremendous – as is pretty much everyone in the movie – but keep your eye on Sam Rockwell as Harrelson’s nastiest deputy. You’ll think you’ve seen him do this before, but trust me: he’s a goddamn revelation.
