The best movies present characters who are forced to change or adapt as their stories occur, naturally and understandably.  As they confront their mistakes, or situations they cannot overcome (but often do, because it is the movies), their feelings and emotions become those of the audience, and we share their disappointments and triumphs.  When movie characters become as real as people we know, then the filmmakers have done their job in an outstanding manner.

Martin McDonagh’s film presents a few such characters in this dark comedy-drama.  Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) lost her daughter to a rape-murder months earlier, and no one has been caught.  In desperation she rents three billboards to bring attention back to the case and to publicly demand the chief of police, William Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) why the killer has not been found.  The billboards raise bad feelings in Ebbing and violence follows.

McDonagh’s script is too profane but great in the way that it explains things through action rather than exposition.  It presents an odd, uneasy mix of black comedy and unremitting grief as Mildred looks for answers, Chief Willoughby confronts his own mortality and deputy Dixon (Sam Rockwell) finally, finally enters into adulthood.  For me, Dixon is the linchpin character; his evolution is certainly the most drastic — and unexpected.  Rockwell, perhaps the most under-appreciated actor in Hollywood, is just fantastic.  I made some assumptions about his character arc early on and I was absolutely wrong about it all.

I cannot say that I “enjoyed” Three Billboards because it is often uncomfortable and harsh.  It is comic, but for me it isn’t a comedy; it’s a crime drama with lots of laughs.  It is a tragic story, leavened by the humor that gets people through the darkest of times.  It is a very impressive movie with some wonderful performances, and I think I would like it even more seeing it a second time.  Many movies grow on you and I would think that this would work in that regard.  ☆ ☆ ☆.  22 December 2017.