A Provocative Dance with Rage and Redemption
The movie is based in a small town of Ebbing, Missouri and revolves around a determined woman Mildred, portrayed by Frances McDormand. Dark humor and drama ensue when, in the face of an unsolved murder of her daughter, the mother goes to extreme measures of installing three billboards along the highway to embarrass the local administration. Themes of wrath, justice, and moral retribution are evident in the narrative and challenges after the death of dear ones in a dramatic manner. It explores the problems of revenge on an individual for the benefit of many or an eye for an eye as anger pulls its magic.The movie features an outstanding performance by Francis McDormand as Mildred. Woody Harrelson, portraying Chief Bill Willoughby, P shows paternal sensitivity touched with command and Sam Rockwell portraying Jason Dixon demonstrate the transformation of the loathsome police officer to the more introspective character with the possibility of rehabilitation.
The use of meaningful expressions of people in a tragedy, deep sorrow, and frustration is well presented and directed by Martin McDonagh. His direction is a good blend of thriller and comedy, occasional serious and sometimes silly at one point, at some other funny and sometimes serious at all. This not only creates the feel of the highs and lows in the film but also adds to the tension, as well as the narrative. The Farm vs. City concept brings those elaborate oppositions to this complex emotional drama of the play’s narrative.
They have established the naturalistic and believable setting of a small town that serves as the background to the emotional trials the characters face in the play. Meanwhile, the billboards themselves firmly ground the film, in their non-ironic, unselfconscious way.
Special effects are not excessive and are used only to make the story more exciting and true to life especially the sequences of fighting and confrontation which gives the film a sense of urgency.
The editing conducted by Jon Gregory is smooth and creates the natural pace that provides good tension while the scenes unfold. It also builds the tempo of the film so as not to lose audience interest throughout the twists and turns of the plot.
This movie has a slow pace but it does not give the audience the impression that it is boring because the pace of the movie is designed to add suspense and keep the audience’s attention. It successfully tries to explore darker emotions of human characters with character flaws and controlling factors of hatred.
The writer’s attempt at trying to address so many issues in the narrative is admirable but sometimes it falters due to its heavier themes. The use of different oneliners is humorous at times and may not be ideal for some audience and might diminish the seriousness of the programs for them. These character arcs, as realistic as they are viable, find suspense and even conclusion in the detriment of rhythm. Filled with exceptional acting and glued with unrelentless grimness, actually addresses such motifs as anger and relevance to repent which are embodied in rather tender-packed and powerful plot.
