★★★★★

When no progress is made solving the murder of her daughter, Mildred takes matters into her own hands. She hires three billboards and uses them as a reminder to local law enforcement that justice has not yet been served.

I’ll admit to already being a fan of Martin McDonagh’s work. I’m a firm believer that not every film has to have a happy ending, or even finish. After all, we’re just popping in on the lives of some people for a short while and then leaving again. Not everything has to be wrapped up in a neat little package. His other work (see In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths, and Six Shooter) are critically acclaimed and worth exploring. Dark, dry, funny, sad, realistic, and ridiculous all at the same time.

But this is about Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Take the pain of losing a child to senseless violence, add in some guilt, and a lack of justice, and you have Frances McDormand’s character, Mildred. Mildred is a hard woman, battle weary but refusing to show the internal agony to anyone - even herself. The character development here is as impressive as it is heart wrenching. Frances McDormand poured her heart into this role.

With trademark dry humour, and mild comic relief in the form of clever wit and sarcasm, Martin McDonagh takes the viewer on a journey. It’s a fun, yet tragic story.