Why ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ secured two Oscars this year and seven nominations.

by Ray Leach

A warning to those who have not yet seen the film: this articles includes SPOILERS.

The Academy Award winning film directed by Martin McDonagh, presents one determined mother who does everything to seek justice for her daughter’s murder. The film previously won five BAFTAs, four Golden Globes, three SAG awards, two Independent Spirit Awards, two British Independent Film Awards and was voted Film of the Year by the London Film Critics Circle. Three Billboards Outside
Ebbing, Missouri also bagged various international film festival awards in autumn of 2017. Needless to say McDonagh wrote a film that will be recognised as a classic within film history. As well as owning award ceremonies, Three Billboards managed to charm the audience with the charismatic wit of leading lady Frances McDormand, and the memorable performance of Sam Rockwell.

The film deals mainly with anti-heroes which is uncommon for modern-day film narrative. We are immediately presented with the main character, a mother-of- two Mildred Hayes, who furiously seeks justice for the rape and murder of her teenage daughter about a year before the film is set. The title of the film comes from Mildred Hayes paying for three billboards to be displayed that show three powerful messages making a direct attack on the chief of the local police department.

The film also presents two sheriffs, Chief Bill Willoughby and Officer Jason Dixon with the latter being a racist and a violent alcoholic. It is not until later in the film that it becomes clear Dixon’s dimwitted and comical personality is covering the tender affection he has for his closest companion Chief Willoughby. Willoughby (played by Woody Harrelson) guides the police department through the scrutiny from the public caused by Mildred, whilst struggling with cancer. The lack of urgency of the local authorities led to Mildred’s increase of desperation throughout the film. We can not however suggest Mildred is the villain of the story because of the tragic heartbreak she suffers as a mother. It could be implied that Mildred has a villain within her mind; there seems to be a constant battle between whether what she has done is right or wrong.

There is an existential moment for audience about half way through the film; here she strikes a physical attack on the police station and the role of hero and villain seem to reverse. Whilst Officer Dixon (played by Sam Rockwell) reads a letter left to him by the late Willoughby, Mildred catapults wine bottles with burning rope attached into the windows of the station. McDonagh chose a beautiful piece of opera, ‘Martha (opera in 4 acts) / Act 2: the last rose of summer’ sung by Renee Fleming to complement the violence of the burning building as it engulfs Dixon. The words of Willoughby are voiced over by Harrelson at this point adding to the emotion of the scene: “Calm and thought is all you need Jason, you don’t need a gun. And you definitely don’t need hate. Hate never solved nothing.” these words play over Mildred as she continues to take down the department with her wine bottle weapons. We start
to question the morality of Mildred as she takes out her hate in such a damaging way; the final words of Willoughby’s letter reads “Yeah you’ve had a run of bad luck… but things are gonna change for you, I can feel it.” It is at this moment that Dixon is blown to the ground by Mildred’s last hit. The result of this powerful scene is Dixon throwing himself out of the building, with major burns across his body and face holding only one thing in his hand, the files for Mildred’s daughters case. Mildred comes out of hiding in shock and breaks down as she sees what files Dixon chose to save. It is at this point that the audience are forced to wonder who is the villain of this film? It is clear McDonagh wanted the audience to be faced with a film that shows people continuously attacking other people and the inevitable negative response this has. It could be suggested the three billboards themselves reflect these three characters - Mildred, Jason and Bill - and the way they present a front to the public which doesn’t represent who they really are.

There are links within the plot of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri which link directly to the original play Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen that
was later adapted into a film directed by George Schaefer. Both stories depicts a protagonist who refuses to ignore a public issue that is covered over by people of authority. Protesting through violence is used in both plots which leads to authorities being intimated. The result for both protagonists, Mildred Hayes and Thomas Stockmann, is backlash from the public and often no clear justice by the end of the films.

Overall the film represents grief, corruption and guilt in its rawest form. McDonagh produced and released the film at the most relevant time considering the gun law issues in America that have been reviewed and picked apart by young people who, like Mildred, want to take down unacceptable laws in order to gain relief and justice.