Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

How three billboards became the new global protest method

 

What’s old

 

Is

 

New Again


—- Burma Shave

 

FWIW, the movie was inspired by actual events in a small town. And Mr. James Fulton, who put up the billboards, did base them on the Burma shaving ads.​

Many billboards outside Vidor, Texas, inspired Oscar-winning film

 

One thing that bugged me was the scene early on when the priest visits. No priest (unless he was exceptionally insensitive) would ever talk that way to someone who suffered such a loss. Especially not in a small town. Seems like the scene served to set up her tirade more than anything else.

 

I didn't like that scene either. It felt shoe-horned in and completely unnecessary, aside from giving them the chance to badmouth the church just for kicks.

 

Saw it and liked it. She always does good work. IMO Woody Harrelson was good as well.

 

I will respectfully disagree. I see this scene differently. She's grieving. The very reason for the billboards in the first place is because everyone else in town had moved on with their lives and couldn't afford any sympathy. Except for the one guy being called out in the actual billboard. She wasn't getting any of that small town stick togetherness. The dentist doesn't care. The priest is visiting her to have her move on because the church goers are tired of her antics. This is a movie about grief. And she was no more mean spirited to that priest than she was to anyone else in that town that didn't sympathize with her.

 

Add to all that that her her ex husband abused her, he was a cop and Sheriff Woody fired him Thats why ex hubby, ex cop drives a truck. The sheriff may just be one of her only real friends and was there for her when she needed him.

 

Yes, all the more reason a priest or reverend from any denomination wouldn't have A. shown up at her house univited (That only happens in the movies) and B. was brusque to the point of ridiculing her. I realize movies take some dramatic license, etc etc... and this particular movie repeatedly butts up against and occasionally kicks through conventions. But the scene just seemed jarring to me, and even unnecesary. It's like if a character playing a crossing guard didn't bother to stop traffic. That could happen, but it belongs in a different movie.

 

It was a powerful film to me, also the first time in quite a while when I actually went to the movies to see a film (after last year's It, I was sure the disappointment in modern cinema would last forever). What especially caught my attention was the fact that actual film grain was used, something quite desireable in times of polished, 100%-digital moviemaking - and a statement concerning the film's self-perception. Something for the ages, not a movie that deals with recent trends or uses a cast of youngsters to deliver its message.

Another aspect I'd like to highlight when talking about Three Billboards is its soundtrack, because the audio layer isn't stuffed with bass-boosted noise (ever watched Dark on Netflix? Because that's exactly that kind of noise I mean), rather the soundstage carries a naturalistic, maybe even simplistic feeling. Plus, the use of licensed music was extremely well-dosed so that the few scenes in which licensed music is audible remain memorable to the audience. What stayed with me after the credits rolled was a movie that wasn't too afraid to make a radical statement just to tear it down again within minutes and an ending that makes you think for some time before you come to your own, personal interpretation of the story. The sophisticated direction made an already solid movie a masterpiece, maybe not such a big masterpiece, but after all still a piece of work that's highly recommendable to movie buffs.

 

lest not forget Sam Rockwell...he was great as usual.

 

if that... she is justified in her anger towards him... She felt he wasn't doing enough like most friends would have done in a position of law enforcement.

 

Spoiler in 3

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But that was before she knew he wasn't just sick, he was dying. She immediately asked what she could do for him. This was never figured in her plan, but he thought the billboards had been a good idea. And backed it up. Everybody else is behaving badly on his behalf. And the towns. Betcha some folks were not comfortable with the media attention on Ebbing.The saddest part is that he never told his wife that he wasn't upset about the billboards and he was still talking to her.

 

well what did you miss in what I said? being sick had nothing to do with it...

 

Just saw this. Great film in all aspects - direction, acting, editing. I didn't like the ending as it felt a bit like a betrayal of the characters involved - like they didn't know how to end it and now we've got a buddy road-trip movie. Maybe that's the sequel, I don't know - still wasn't bad enough to ruin the entire film. The priest scene was absolutely valid and necessary IMO, and represents one person's attempt to fight back against the abusive stranglehold institutions like that have on small towns. I like that it wasn't the whole movie, but was dealt with effectively in what - 5 minutes? Very well done. And extremely well-deserved Oscar for Rockwell, wow - as exceptional an acting performance that I can recall.

 

I liked the ending a lot more than you did. To me... it was potential closure for them. Mildred was never going to avenge her daughter's killer. And the cop had to do something good, something positive because the sheriff knew he had it in him. Going after another rapist killer was one way of closure for both of them.

And I say potential closure because we don't really know if they go through with it. Having said that...I don't think there will be a sequel.

 

Oh, no doubt there'll be no sequel - my attempt at a joke. I've tried to rationalize the ending but it just doesn't work for me. We're talking a 1600 mile or so road trip in a beat up wagon to exact justice on a scumbag who might not even be there. License plates don't necessarily equate to where someone actually lives. The rest of the movie is so strong however that I could still re-watch it.

 

Everything you say about the ending is spot on.

And it gets even better with repeat viewings.

 

Finally got to see this!
Bravo to Martin McDonagh!
THIS, "In Bruges" & "Seven Psychopaths" are a PERFECT trifecta of films!
Here is an artist with a vision that, while still holds his ideology (and little 'things' that carry on throughout), while making something that can reach a broader audience!

 

This guy does dialogue really well. Comes off as real. Genuine. Not many writers can do that.

 

Finally saw this last night. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The acting was really terrific. Was it perfect? No, but I will take it ahead of most of the movies being released. I thought it was original, quirky, and meaningful. I really don't understand some of the critical comments on this thread. We are fed an awful lot of pure crap coming out of hollywood on a daily basis. Filmmakers and actors like this deserve much praise.