Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Name: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Crime
Released: November 10, 2017
Duration: 115 min
Rating: 88
Cast: Abbie Cornish, Alejandro Barrios, Caleb Landry Jones, Clarke Peters, Darrell Britt-Gibson

2017

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Universal acclaim based on 50 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 1020 Ratings

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7.8

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7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 1020 Ratings

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Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

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Movie Details & Credits

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: November 10, 2017 | R

Starring: Abbie Cornish, Alejandro Barrios, Caleb Landry Jones, Clarke Peters, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Frances McDormand, Jason Redford, John Hawkes, Kathryn Newton, Kerry Condon, Lucas Hedges, Peter Dinklage, Riya May Atwood, Sam Rockwell, Samara Weaving, Woody Harrelson, Željko Ivanek

Summary: After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby (Woody Harrelson), the town's revered chief of police. When his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell),After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby (Woody Harrelson), the town's revered chief of police. When his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell), an immature mother’s boy with a penchant for violence, gets involved, the battle between Mildred and Ebbing's law enforcement is only exacerbated.… Expand

Director: Martin McDonagh

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 115 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Matt Singer

Sep 12, 2017

It is a movie about how anger consumes and destroys, and how the only cure for that anger is empathy, something that’s in short supply these days but Three Billboards has in abundance. Read full review

100

Richard Roeper

Nov 16, 2017

Following the path of “Three Billboards” is a little like driving down an unfamiliar road in beautiful but forbidding country late at night, and alternately marveling at the scenery and gripping the steering wheel tightly when yet another steep drop or sudden change of direction presents itself. Read full review

100

Empire Terri White

Jan 8, 2018

Funny, brutal and breathtakingly beautiful. Two exceptionally raw lead performances, supercharged by a bold script from Martin McDonagh, could make Three Billboards this year’s Awards-upsetter. Read full review

David Rooney

Sep 9, 2017

While the film continues almost throughout to generate great whoops of shocking laughter, it's the notes of genuine sorrow, compassion and contrition that resonate. Read full review

Jake Cole

Sep 13, 2017

The film is the finest balance yet of Martin McDonagh's bleak sense of humor and offbeat moral sincerity. Read full review

Alissa Wilkinson

Sep 22, 2017

Every performance in this movie acknowledges that while tragedy is what prompted the film’s events, its contours, characters, and conversations are pure, inky black comedy. Absurdity makes for good humor, and the screwed-up world in which these characters live is nothing if not absurd. Read full review

April Wolfe

Nov 8, 2017

McDormand could have carried this film all the way through a minefield of touchy topics, singed but with all parts in the right place, primed for a painful laugh. But goddamnit if the cops in this story didn’t ruin all the fun. Read full review

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User Reviews

FilipeNeto

Jan 23, 2022

This is an undoubtedly tense film, in which the story of an unsolved murder serves as the backdrop for a much deeper and more elaborate drama, in which the victim's inconsolable mother seeks, by all means, to force the police to seriously investigate what happened to his daughter. It's notThis is an undoubtedly tense film, in which the story of an unsolved murder serves as the backdrop for a much deeper and more elaborate drama, in which the victim's inconsolable mother seeks, by all means, to force the police to seriously investigate what happened to his daughter. It's not the first film where the police are seen as villains, but it's far from being a lighthearted film, with friendly heroes and execrable villains. The film strives to create and highlight the nuances of the plot and each of the characters.

I remember perfectly that this film was one of the heavyweights of the 2018 Oscars, and one of the great candidates for the Oscar for Best Picture. It didn't win the statuette, nor a good part of the nominations received, but it left the Dolby Theater with two awards in important categories: Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor. Personally, I believe that the film would also have been a fair deserving of the award for Best Original Screenplay, since the differential of the film, for me, is to give us a script with an elegant and well done story, with drama and depth, and in that each character deserved a close look and an interesting development. The biggest problem with this incredible script turns out to be, in fact, the open ending and the feeling that it doesn't give the audience the conclusion they expect to see. It's not about wanting a happy ending... it's just about wanting an end point and not just ellipses.

In the wake of the story of the unsolved crime and the billboards, we observe the tense relationship and mutual misunderstandings between mother and daughter, and the way that mother feels remorse for the way she acted with her murdered daughter. We see how the police want to act, but they can't for lack of evidence, for being forced to follow the law and not being able to simply arrest everything and everyone or treat each one as a suspect. We see how honest and potentially good men can be lost if they do not have an opportunity to improve their conduct, and how there are indeed people who are committed to their work, despite the criticism they receive. And we see how, at times, the voice of the people can be more caustic and unfair than any other.

Martin McDonagh is a new director, who many didn't know well before this film. I had seen one of his films before, "Bruges", and he really improved a lot, not only as a director, but even as a screenwriter. Frances McDormand presents us a complete, intense, committed and powerful performance, which holds us from beginning to the end. Needless to say, it was probably her life's greatest work, and that it would be an injustice of titanic proportions not to reward it fairly, as it did. But she doesn't carry the film alone: Woody Harrelson is also very good here, in a difficult character that gives the film an added density. He also gave us, in this film, the best of himself. But even more powerful and intense is the work of Sam Rockwell, an actor I've never seen work at this level, and who was truly impressive in the way he grabbed the character and gave it body and density. The film also has satisfactory collaborations with Peter Dinklage (an actor who was not always treated well in the films he was in, despite being very good at what he does) and Caleb Jones.

Technically, the film is truly a quality parade. Let's start by looking at its elegant cinematography. With an exquisite work of filming and very well executed, the film has excellent colors, sharpness, framing and makes the best use of the beautiful filming locations where it was made. I especially enjoyed some shots at dusk, where the sunlight gives the scene a poignant nostalgia. The editing was equally well done, and the cuts are not even felt. The sets were very well done and are full of details, and I would highlight the police station or the store where Mildred works. Finally, we have to talk about the soundtrack, sad and introspective, signed by Carter Burwell, and the wise inclusion of the song "Last Rose of Summer" by the incredible voice of Renee Fleming, the icing on the cake in those opening scenes.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

alejandro970

Feb 4, 2018

An original idea of how to make justice. Frances Mc Dormand in one of her best roles in carrer; a magnifical drama about a desperate seek for justice blended with a little, subtle pinch of dark humor. RUSH!

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

Avril

Nov 10, 2017

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is an absolute cinematic masterpiece, and the best film of 2017. Martin McDonagh's script balances humour and tragedy in the most profound way.
Frances McDormand leads an incredible ensemble cast that delivers some of the year's best performances.Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is an absolute cinematic masterpiece, and the best film of 2017. Martin McDonagh's script balances humour and tragedy in the most profound way.
Frances McDormand leads an incredible ensemble cast that delivers some of the year's best performances. McDormand is incredible, and undoubtedly gives her best performance since the Coen's Fargo. Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson both shine.

Three Billboards is angry, profane, yet heartfelt and beautiful. Tragedy, hope and redemption shines through, and makes it the film we really need today.… Expand

19 of 31 users found this helpful1912

OscarOrNot

Apr 1, 2018

Best movie of 2017, shape of water wouldnt make my top 5 to be honest. It was a good movie but the hype was absurd.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

AndrewBurge

Mar 24, 2018

Before anything, this is a movie about the power of anger and how it can easily overwhelm any other emotion. Frances McDormand's Milded Hayes is a person whose anger and hatred towards the injustice done to her by the Police Department which failed to catch the rapist and murderer of herBefore anything, this is a movie about the power of anger and how it can easily overwhelm any other emotion. Frances McDormand's Milded Hayes is a person whose anger and hatred towards the injustice done to her by the Police Department which failed to catch the rapist and murderer of her daughter, Angela, seems to lead her every move. Yet, do not expect to see the police as a villain here. In fact, Martin McDonagh does a staggering job at removing any evil representation of the Police Department even from the beginning of the film. And he does that through Woody Harrelson's Chief Willoughby who, despite being on cancer's Death Row, is actually the most empathetic and understanding of the characters. This really is a refreshing and long-awaited view on the classic "cops are corrupt, racist and evil".

Yet despite the surprisingly likable and respected Chief Willoughby, the anger found in almost all other characters is compelling them to do disturbing acts - Hayes putting the billboards up even though she knew Willoughby has cancer and Sam Rockwell's Officer Jason Dixon infamous rampage through a window and violently assaulting the man in charge of the billboards. But there is one more subtle take on this anger displaying, which is the message on the last billboard which claims 'raped while dying'. It is clear that Hayes wants everyone to be disturbed and shocked by the details of her daughter's last second, perhaps to make them feel the same suffering as she does.

So, while having a few abrupt tonal shifts, like a deep scene about a deer and reincarnation which, while powerful, felt a bit forced and rushed, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" is a foul-mouthed sure-fire and efficient cry of inner peace with one of the best performances of the year, especially Sam Rockwell's troubled, childish and bizarre yet funny Officer Jason Dixon.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Voodoo123

Jan 4, 2019

+Great cast deliver memorable performances
+Decent screenplay
-Story noticeably lacks realistic and logical reasoning A superior cast and direction elevate the material to just a nose above average. TBOEM offers a decent amount of cerebral entertainment and is well produced. At times+Great cast deliver memorable performances
+Decent screenplay
-Story noticeably lacks realistic and logical reasoning

A superior cast and direction elevate the material to just a nose above average. TBOEM offers a decent amount of cerebral entertainment and is well produced. At times watching this I felt scenes play out in a way that is somewhat disjointed from itself...(lead character burning the police station?). Also the pacing leads us to seeing characters hopping between locations and time periods with little explanation. Ultimately doesn't live up to the hype but was nicely stylized. Definitely worth a look.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

mikevoid

Jan 5, 2019

Just bad, not worth your time! It's really really really really really really really really really bad.

2 of 16 users found this helpful214

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