Three Billboards Ouside Ebbing, Missouri 2017

     Mildred Hayes is protesting the lack of police action on a crime that was committed in Ebbing.  To give the police a jump-start, she arranges for three billboards on the way out of Ebbing to show a message about the stalled investigation.  William Willoughby is the town’s chief of police and a lot of townsfolk know he has pancreatic cancer.  The town has a majority of the people against Mildred and for William.  There is a dark spot in the police department.  Officer Dixon likes to use violence and he’s very mad about the billboards.  He’s even mad at businessman Red Welby for taking money form Mildred to create the billboard notices.

     I thought this movie was very good, both McDormand and Rockwell deserved Oscars for their roles.  It was nice to not know what this was about at the beginning of viewing.  I didn’t have any expectations or ideas about the plot.  I don’t want to give a lot of details to cheat other viewers from their open-minded experience.  I didn’t know where this was going or how it was going to turn out?  4* (I really liked this movie)

115 min, Crime directed by Martin McDonagh with Frances McCormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Caleb Landry Jones, Kerry Condon, Alejandro Barrios, Jason Redford, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Abbie Cornish, Riya May Atwood.

Note:  Imdb 8.3 out of 10, 92% critic 87% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 3.9* out of 5* with 237 reviews Video 3.7* out of 5* with 282 reviews, Metacritic 88 of 100 with 50 critics 7.6 of 10 with 589 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed in Sylva, Black Mountain, Asheville, Maggie Valley, Dillsboro, Cullowhee and Clyde, North Carolina.  No scenes were filmed in Missouri and there isn't a town named Ebbing.  McDormand is married to director Joel Coen, the brother of Ethan Coen.  She was reluctant to take the role of Mildred but Joel convinced her it was a good part.  Martin McDonagh wrote the screenplay with Frances in mind.  The local people were welcome to watch the outdoor scenes as long as they were not disruptive.  Some residents were cast for background roles and some as stand-ins.  Often, there were nearly 100 people watching, the actors would sign autographs and take pictures during breaks.  Sam Rockwell wore padding to give his character a more stocky appearance.  Some of the businesses were closed shops that were made into other shops or given facades.  The Police Department building was formerly a consignment furniture store.