Unsane

Director:
Steven Soderbergh (Logan Lucky, Side Effects, Ocean's Eleven)

Starring:
Claire Foy (The Lady In The Van, Rosewater, Season of the Witch)
Joshua Leonard (The Blair Witch Project, The Town That Dreaded Sundown, Hatchet)
Juno Temple (Horns, The Dark Knight Rises, Killer Joe)

Plot:
Fearing from a stalker in her past, Sawyer (Foy) attends a psychiatric support session.  When letting her counsellor know that her stalker has driven her to once contemplate taking her own life, she is committed for a short time in an institution against her will.  And she begins to see her stalker everywhere she looks; even mistaking staff in the institution.  But is she really the crazy one?

Opinion:
A few years back, Steven Soderbergh directed a film called Side Effects.  It starred Rooney Mara, Jude Law and Catherine Zeta-Jones and it was, without a doubt, one of the most interesting films released that year.  

Whilst the second half of Side Effects goes in a... 'different' direction, the first half was dedicated to depicting a young woman's struggle with depression after her husband's arrest, her dependency on her prescribed medication and the supposed 'side effects' that wreak havoc with her life.  The film seemed like Soderbergh was trying to make a statement about the America people's current dependency on medication to get them through their day-to-day lives, as well as cast a harsh spotlight on pharmaceutical companies preying on those in need of help.

One Liberace biography and an "Ocean's 7/11" later, and Soderbergh is back using that harsh spotlight to highlight a dark truth within the American psychiatric system: that many Americans are told they are in need of further help, and even commitment, just to keep a hospital's beds filled, quotas met and funding secure.

But don't worry, Soderbergh isn't going to do this thing like a boring documentary, but instead hide it within a tense, character-driven B-movie style thriller.  Fun!

From the beginning, Unsane doesn't hide it's attempts at trying to unnerve you, since the film is entirely shot on an iPhone.  Possibly this is Soderbergh trying to visually stand out amongst the current releases and trying to push the boundaries of how easily he can make a tense thriller, but to his credit, I believe the style added to the overall aesthetic and creep-factor in an 'edge-of-your-seat' way.

Since Unsane is focused on a stalker's obsession with his victim, the entire film feels like the audience is watching through the stalker's P.O.V and I felt truly uncomfortable throughout.  And that's not to mention the dark twists that the storyline throws at you, as well as the cat and mouse game that slowly unravels itself before your eyes.

I want to tell you more, but it is truly a film where the less you know about it, the better.  All I knew about Unsane was "It's Steven Soderbergh, and it's all shot on an iPhone." and I was definitely pleased by the unexpected routes that Soderbergh takes.

Not only is Unsane a tense watch from start to end, but the performances are fantastic as well.  Former Saturday Night Live star Jay Pharaoh gives the film and the main star a shoulder to cry on when the plot gets a bit too rough and needs a breather, Juno Temple is under-utilised but when she's on camera, she makes sure your attention is on her, and Josh Leonard just steals the show as Sawyer's stalker, David.

However the film belongs to Claire Foy.  Her portrayal of Sawyer is a complicated and tough one, but one she carries off effectively, as some of her decisions and actions could easily lead you to dislike her.  

But some scenes towards the end of the film where she stands up to her oppressors is definitely a scene where she grabs the audience's attention and won't let go.  Also the film allows Sawyer to be an imperfect protagonist, something definitely refreshing to see in amongst the squeaky-clean 'final-girl' heroines from other thrillers like this.

Rating:
7/10

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Succinct Sunday: March Movies

Red Sparrow

Director:
Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, I Am Legend, Constantine)

Starring:
Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games, mother!, American Hustle)
Joel Edgerton (The Gift, It Comes At Night, The Great Gatsby)
Matthias Schoenaerts (The Danish Girl, Far From The Madding Crowd, Suite Francaise)

Plot:
A promising and talented Russian ballet dancer (Lawrence) suffers a career-ending injury and once recovered must enrol in a government-run spy program in order to support her ill mother.  She must become a 'Sparrow', specialising in seducing her targets in order to find their secrets.  However when she is tasked with seducing an American CIA agent to uncover a mole within her own government, her alliances are tested.

Opinion:
For a film boasting high-quality actors such as Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Jeremy Irons, Ciaran Hinds and Charlotte Rampling, you'd really think the writers would have given them worthwhile material to work with instead of such mediocre dialogue and cliched plot points.

Nothing about Red Sparrow grabbed my attention, apart from the constant wavering Russian accents.  The film spends most of its first act within the grounds of a self-proclaimed 'Whore School'  where the Sparrows learn their trade, and whilst it tried to pass itself off as a moment of true character building for Lawrence's dancer-turned-spy, it just came across as lecherous and wrong-footed, giving me a bad taste in my mouth for the rest of the running time. 

Red Sparrow believes itself to be a much more stylish and accomplished film than it actually is.  

Red Sparrow carries itself with an air of superiority that it does not deserve.

Red Sparrow is a spy film that failed at every spy film's main objective: be interesting.

Rating:
3/10

Black Panther

Director:
Ryan Coogler (Creed, Fruitvale Station)

Starring:
Chadwick Boseman (Captain America: Civil War, Gods of Egypt, 42)
Lupita Nyong'o (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, 12 Years A Slave, Queen of Katwe)
Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Fant4stic, Chronicle)

Plot:
Carrying on a week after the events of Captain America: Civil War, T'chaka (Boseman) returns to his home (the fictional and un-colonised country of Wakanda) to be crowned their new King and 'Black Panther' after his father's passing.  However a mysterious outsider claiming to have a birthright to the throne threatens T'chaka's reign, as well as Wakanda's safety.

Opinion:
This film deserves much more praise and commentary than I am currently giving it, but unfortunately the opportunity to write a timely and relevant review has passed, so there probably isn't anything I can tell you about this film that you haven't already seen yourself or heard from a friend/social media as it currently sits just outside the Top Ten Highest Grossing Films Ever.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has often threatened to grow stale, has been revitalised by films such as this and Thor: Ragnarok; films willing to take a chance and provide audiences with experimental ideas, characters and visuals.  No other film in the MCU has the same look and heart as Black Panther and it's impact around the world has been easily visible.

The film has truly become a cultural landmark regardless of it's box office both here and abroad, as a country like Wakanda, and a noble and passionate hero such as the titular Black Panther have provided people around the world with representation in the biggest movie franchise in history.

Apart from the obvious cultural significance, Black Panther is an incredibly enjoyable film, filled with attention-grabbing action scenes, a witty and hard-hitting script, but ultimately brilliant performances by it's entire cast, especially Michael B. Jordan.  Jordan's Killmonger is possibly the greatest villain in the MCU and the film is worth watching, if just for him.

How are Marvel doing it?  How are they going from strength to strength in what's coming up to their twentieth installment in ten years of the same saga?  It's incredible and I cannot wait to see what Infinity War brings later this month!


Rating:
8/10



I, Tonya

Director:
Craig Gillespie (Fright Night, Lars and the Real Girl, Mr. Woodcock)

Starring:
Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Legend of Tarzan)
Sebastian Stan (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The Martian, Logan Lucky)
Allison Janney (American Beauty, The Girl On The Train, Juno)

Plot:
Tonya Harding became world-famous in 1994 when she and her team went to extreme lengths to become the best figure-skater in the world, but the story behind how she got there is a much darker one than you have probably heard.

Opinion:
Before seeing I, Tonya, I had heard the review that it was "the Goodfellas of ice-skating films" and whilst the film is very entertaining, with great direction and brilliant acting performances, it is no way worthy to be in the same sentence as Goodfellas.  Even though I've put it in there twice now.  

(I mean, I don't mean to go on about this but, in terms of ice-skating films, this has to be the Goodfellas, right?  Since the other ice-skating films are... Will Ferrell's Blades of Glory and... Disney's The Ice Princess.  So is it fair to call Flushed Away 'the Goodfellas of Talking Mouse movies' compared to Ratatouille and Babe?  Sorry, I'll drop this now.)

Regardless, special mention has to go to Robbie and Janney's performances.  They really give their all portraying their real-life counterparts, Harding and her mother respectively.  Their animosity and chemistry really seethes off the screen and whenever they appear together, despite the fact that it is not always the most pleasant conversation, damn, they grab your attention and won't let it go.

I, Tonya accurately portrays the early-mid 90s in staggering detail, with fashion and hairstyles meant to give you just the right nostalgia kick, and whilst the news around Harding wasn't as massive over here in the UK as it was in the USA, I felt similar feelings of regret when watching Asif Kapadia's documentary Amy a few years ago.  When detailing how the late singer Amy Winehouse got to the position of national punch-line through drug abuse and wrong crowds, I truly felt guilt-ridden at having mocked someone in need of help, and I imagine the US audiences will feel the same way when discovering what led Harding to do what she did.

I'd definitely seek this film out as it's a rag-to-riches-to-rags story that truly makes you sympathise with a person who you never thought you would.

Rating:
7/10


Tomb Raider

Director:
Roar Uthaug (The Wave)

Starring:
Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl, Ex Machina, Jason Bourne)
Dominic West (The Affair (TV), The Wire (TV), 300)
Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained, Lincoln)

Plot:
Lara Croft is on the brink of inheriting her family's vast fortune.  All she has to do is sign a contract admitting her father is dead after he disappeared a decade earlier.  However Lara believes him to still be alive and so sets out to find him in his last-known destination; an 'island of death' on the coast of Japan.

Opinion:
Urgh.  I really didn't have high hopes for this film, but I expected it at least to be better than the Angelina Jolie version, since this Tomb Raider film is based off the reboot version of the video game, but unfortunately not.  Whilst a tough-as-nails survival game might benefit from the gritty realism of the reboot, the film unfortunately could have done with a little more humour and campiness, which Jolie's had in abundance.

Whilst Alicia Vikander steals my heart every time she is on screen, I don't believe she is suited for the role as Lara Croft.  Nothing to do with her bust size, as many idiots have voiced their displeasure online, but what happened to the charismatic and intriguing Vikander who starred in Ex Machina?  Instead, we get a bland protagonist who never really inspired me to root for her.

Combine that with a shaky plot filled with holes, supporting performances that leave a lot to be desired and enough undeserved sequel-building that you'd think Tomb Raider was taking place in Universal's Dark Universe, it's pointless, boring and not even entertaining enough for me to recommend it as a brainless popcorn film.

Rating:
2/10

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January/February Films

I took a break from reviewing to get over some lovely illnesses over the past month, but before March begins, here are a few short reviews of films that have been released since the start of the year...

DARKEST HOUR

Director:

Joe Wright (Atonement, Hanna, Pride and Prejudice)

Starring:
Gary Oldman (Leon, The Dark Knight, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban)

Lily James (Baby Driver, Cinderella, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies)
Ben Mendelson (Rogue One, The Dark Knight Rises, The Place Beyond The Pines)

Plot:
During the early days of World War II, the newly-appointed Prime Minister Winston Churchill must face threats from opposing European forces as well as from within his own political party. 

With British forces stuck in Calais and Dunkirk, Churchill must decide whether to enter peace talks with Adolf Hitler or carry on fighting the good fight to the end.

Verdict:
There is no doubt in my mind that Gary Oldman will win Best Actor at this year's Academy Awards for his portrayal of Winston Churchill; he commands the screen whenever he appears, conducts great chemistry with whoever he shares the screen, and dammit he wore a fat-suit, how is he not going to get the Award?!

However apart from his tour-de-force performance, there is not much else to write home about.  A downside to Oldman's scenery-chewing is that everyone else begins to pale in comparison, even the ever-impressive Kristen Scott Thomas feels like wasted talent, and Lily James isn't given enough screen time to show her potential range.  Whilst the film revolves around the powerful man that was Winston Churchill, unfortunately the film is too in love with him to deliver a compelling and interesting narrative outside of passionate and patriotic speeches.

Rating:
5/10

COCO

Director:

Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc.)

Starring (voices):
Gael Garcia Bernal (Amores perros, The Motorcycle Diaires, A Little Bit Of Heaven)
Benjamin Bratt (Miss Congeniality, Demolition Man, Doctor Strange)
Alanna Ubach (Legally Blonde, Sister Act 2, Meet The Fockers)

Plot:
On the revered Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead), Miguel, the youngest of a shoe-making and music-hating family wants to perform at a local music talent show.  However after disrespecting the dead, Miguel is transported to an other-worldly plain where he is able to converse with his dead relatives.  He must now receive their blessing to return home before the sun rises, and potentially discover the reason why music is so forbidden within his family.

Verdict:
This film broke me.  A grown man.  Weeping.  In a packed cinema screen. 

But dammit I wasn't the only one!  A lot of men in that same screen seemingly had 'something in their eye' or 'decided to chop onions' at one certain scene towards the end of the film.

Pixar truly have a knack at replicating real life moments on screen, despite usually featuring fantastical characters and situations, making brilliant movie moments in the process.  One only needs to mention the first ten minutes of Up or Wall-E for examples of how talented they are at telling a story that truly hits home.

The team behind Coco truly took innovative steps with this in terms of the maturity of it's storyline and characters.  There is no Doomsday scenario, Miguel's life isn't in jeopardy and the Land of the Dead's very existence isn't being threatened.  It is a simple story of a man not wanting to be forgotten, and how music can bring a family together rather than tear it apart.

The amazingly detailed and vibrant Land of the Dead had me open-jawed and the story had me interested through-out, even if I did predict some of the plot twists a little early.  The music by Michael Giacchino is heart-warming and toe-tapping, and the artistry is definitely some of Pixar's best.  

After a few missteps, I believe this is Pixar back to their best and would definitely recommend.

Rating:
9/10

THE POST

Director:

Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan)

Starring:
Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia!, The Devil Wears Prada, Sophie's Choice)
Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump, Big, Saving Private Ryan)
Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad, Fargo)

Plot:
Set in the early 1970s, and following America's defeat in the disastrous Vietnam War, The Washington Post's owner (Streep) and chief editor (Hanks) have to decide whether or not to publish The Pentagon Papers, leaked classified documents that paint the White House and America's involvement in the Vietnam War in a less-than-stellar light.

Verdict:
Streep.  Hanks.  Spielberg.

It had all the hallmarks of an instant classic.  But something just didn't work for me.  With this cast and director, I expected a much better film.  Not to say The Post is a poor film, as it is most certainly not.  However, it never really elevates itself over 'competent' and 'entertaining'.  And whilst that's seemingly enough for several Academy Award nominations, I certainly wasn't convinced.

Is the film focused on the female-empowerment of Meryl Streep's Katherine Graham? 
Or the underhanded tactics of Nixon's White House?
Or the Presidents who preceded him with their involvement in the Vietnam War? 
Or the importance of the Free Press in situations such as this true story? 
Or the dangerous similarities to the current situation in America?
Why not all of them at the same time? 

This unfortunately results in a narrative that becomes top-heavy in narrative importance and left me rather bored, which shouldn't be the case in a story that is so relevant and important.

Rating:
5/10

THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX
Director:

Julius Onah

Starring:
Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Belle, Beauty and the Beast, Black Mirror)
David Oyelowo (Selma, The Butler, Rise of the Planet of the Apes)
Daniel Bruhl (Captain America: Civil War, Rush, Inglorious Basterds)

Plot:
In 2028, the Earth is suffering a massive energy crisis.  To combat this, a group of international scientists and engineers board the Cloverfield space station and attempt to discover a source of unlimited energy using a particle accelerator, similar to the Hadron Collider in Switzerland.  However, one of the experiments accidentally transports the station away from the Earth and they must find their way back.

Verdict:
It's a rarity that I speak about 'Straight-to-Netflix' films, but I am such a fan of the Cloverfield film series, I wanted to discuss the latest instalment.  And... it's a weird one.

Whilst I was a huge fan of the original found-footage Cloverfield and appreciated the change in tone and style for 10 Cloverfield Lane, I wasn't too won over by this space thriller.  Critics of Lane pointed to the film existing on it's own terms without any reference to Cloverfield before JJ Abrams suggested bringing it into their Shared Universe, but I didn't see that as a negative.  If anything, I felt as if it added to the tension and the mythos behind the original monster movie.  However, it's more evident here that the film could have been a fine sci-fi thriller without having to tie it to the first two films.

It results in an overly-confusing story, pointless horror moments and a wasted cast that is filled with talent that is under-utilised.

The Cloverfield Paradox manages to be a sci-fi film without grand ideas, a thriller with absurd attempts at tension and a horror without scares.

Must try harder, JJ.

Rating:
3/10

PHANTOM THREAD

Director:

Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood, Magnolia, Boogie Nights)

Starring:
Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood, Lincoln, Gangs of New York)
Vicky Krieps (A Most Wanted Man, Hanna, Anonymous)
Lesley Manville (Maleficent, Another Year, Vera Drake)

Plot:
In 1950s London, renowned fashion designer Reynolds Woodcock (Day-Lewis) creates dresses and garments for women in high society.  However his charisma and talent is matched with a ruthless and obsessive personality.  After debuting his latest outfit, Reynolds meets a waitress, Alma (Krieps), at a countryside restaurant who soon becomes his muse, but Alma finds it difficult to cope with Reynolds' lifestyle and erratic behaviour.

Verdict:
The duo of PTA and DDL working together again would make any film buff start drooling.  Their work on There Will Be Blood is phenomenal and one of my favourite films of the past ten years.  

And now DDL is back portraying a manipulative and obsessive genius! 
In his supposed final performance!  
By one of the great auteur directors! 

...So why isn't Phantom Thread better than it should be?

Similar to The Post, I'm not saying it's a poor film.  I don't think PTA or DDL know how to even spell 'poor film'.  But I was left wanting more.  The components on their own are spectacular.  The direction is brilliant, the acting sublime and the outfits are worthy of highest billing, since the film is all about a fashion designer and his amazing eye for well-made dresses.  But putting them all together just left me feeling slightly hollow.

Perhaps it was the central romance between DDL's Reynolds and Krieps' Alma.  I never truly felt or believed in their chemistry and passion for each other and the film centres itself on this main romance.  

Maybe my feeling is because I seem to appreciate the film as a piece of art more than a piece of cinema.  I feel like the film should be hung on a wall in an art gallery more than at the local cinemaplex.  And that's a compliment, right?

Rating:
7/10

THE SHAPE OF WATER

Director:
Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy, Crimson Peak)

Starring:
Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky, Paddington, Godzilla)
Michael Shannon (Man of Steel, Nocturnal Animals, Revolutionary Road)
Doug Jones (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy, Crimson Peak)

Plot:
Eliza (Hawkins) is a mute, isolated woman who works as a cleaning lady in a hidden, high-security government laboratory in 1962 Baltimore.  Her life is changed forever when she discovers the laboratory's most classified secret; an mysterious, scaled creature from South America that lives in a water tank.

Verdict:
It's a real stupid mistake of mine to constantly forget Guillermo del Toro every time I try and list my favourite directors.  I always think of Fincher, Nolan, and Scorsese but del Toro deserves to be included in that shortlist.  The man just doesn't know how to make a bad film.

Famously, del Toro recounts how, as a child, he was never scared of monsters; he instead wanted to be friends with the monsters, and he has shown that in nearly every film he has made.  He often features other-worldly creatures in his films, and always makes their worlds so inviting and magical that I can't help but want to live there too, especially compared to our grey, boring, non-magical world.  The Shape of Water is no exception.

Del Toro's love for the fantastical is projected onto this film in nearly every aspect of The Shape of Water, as well for the time period (1950's Cold War-America).  The set design, music, costumes... everything is done with such love, care and attention, I can't help but believe that this will win Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards.

The direction seems effortless, the soundtrack is equally romantic and nostalgic, and the acting throughout is sublime.  Sally Hawkins manages to engage and charm the audience without uttering a word.  Michael Shannon does his 'Michael Shannon thing' of being tall and imposing, but in just such an understated and menacing way.  And Richard Jenkins steals the show as the closeted and balding neighbour and I truly hope he gets recognised for a subtle but powerful performance.

I probably sound like I'm rambling over this film but I truly believe it is one of del Toro's best and absolutely worth a watch.

Just remember that fish-men need love too.

Rating:

9/10

Until next time, thanks for reading!

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Hostiles

Director:
Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart, Out of the Furnace, Black Mass)

Starring:

Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, American Psycho, The Prestige)

Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, The World's End, A United Kingdom)

Wes Studi (Dances With Wolves, The Last of the Mohicans, Heat)

Plot: 

In 1892, a Native American-hating U.S. cavalry officer (Bale) must lead an escort party protecting a Native American family back to their home in Montana. 
En route, they discover the sole survivor of a Comanche attack (Pike) who joins their party.

Verdict:

When I was in high school, I was assigned a project that I put my heart and soul into; to create a clock.  Not that difficult, right?

For weeks, I obsessed over ideas for how to make my clock stand out against others in my class.  

Maybe the clock face could be slanted? 
Maybe the numbers could be Roman numerals?  
Maybe the arms could go *gasp* counter-clockwise?!

Little did I know, it didn't matter what clock I made, because three years earlier my sister had created a clock that was being used as the epitome of what a student could create.  It was spoken about in hushed tones and sat proudly on the fireplace in my house.  
If they gave awards for Clock Projects, she'd win them all.

My efforts were earnest but ultimately outshone.

So, what is the point of this story, you might think?

Scott Cooper is me.

Hostiles is my clock project.

My sister's clock project is The Revenant.

And damn, Hostiles would be impressive if The Revenant wasn't released three years ago.

Perhaps I'm slightly biased when it comes to Westerns since, like boxing films, I haven't found many that actually entertain me.  They usually plod on a bit of a slow pace, with ultimately the cowboys triumphing over the Native Americans, or the man in the white hat beating his darker suited rival.  Ho-hum.

But The Revenant really shook things up for me and my expectations of the genre back in 2015.  Gritty realism, gory injuries and, finally, an Oscar-winning performance from Leo.  
For the first time, I was made to sit up in my seat.  Not just from the action on-screen and trying to figure out just what Tom Hardy was mumbling, but the beautifully-shot landscapes of rural America made me gasp and stare at the screen slack-jawed at the natural wonder of the American West.

And all that still can be found in Hostiles, but simply to a lesser extent.  Breath-taking vistas are underplayed by foreboding and ominous tones, but the setting never feels like a character in itself.  Shoot outs are still tense, but they lack a sense of fear and dread.

Similarly to Three Billboards... earlier this year, Hostiles focuses on the pointlessness of rage and hatred against our enemy when ultimately, we are all the same underneath.  Characters on opposite sides find themselves fighting alongside each other before the whole thing is over, but in a film like this, you can tell that is where the film is heading.

Again, I'm not saying Hostiles is without heartfelt emotion, as Rosamund Pike acts the hell out of her role.  Seeing true tragedy befall her early on in the film leaves Pike a shell of her former self and she seems genuinely struck with PTSD for a large portion of this film (I've been so impressed with Pike's work since Gone Girl and I really hope she is recognised for her talents in the coming years).  

The same goes for Christian Bale's stoic performance as the 'Indian'-hating cavalry officer.  He gives a subtle and believable turn as Joseph Blocker, learning ways of the Native American people as he continues to spend time with them over their journey across their 'shared' home, resulting in a logical conclusion that succeeds where many 'Gone Native' films have failed in the past.  Plus his moustache is just glorious, I mean, look at that pushbroom!

Hostiles is not a bad film at all; it's an entertaining and thought-provoking amount of minutes.  However the same can be said about my clock project; that work-of-art told people the time whenever they wanted.  But damn, it was nothing on my sister's.

Rating
6/10

Until next time, thanks for reading!

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Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Director:
Martin McDonagh

Starring:

Frances McDormand (Fargo, Burn After Reading, Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day)

Sam Rockwell (The Green Mile, Iron Man 2, Moon)

Woody Harrelson (Zombieland, The Hunger Games, War for the Planet of the Apes)

Plot: 

After the death of her daughter seven months earlier, Mildred Hayes (McDormand) decides to rent three abandoned billboards near her home to advertise the local police's failure to find her daughter's killer to the community.  The police create havoc for Mildred to try and intimidate her to take the billboards down.

Verdict:

Seemingly, you need three things to be a Martin McDonagh film;

• a talented cast,
• strong and sudden acts of violence, and
• underlying layer of pitch-black comedy throughout. 

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is no exception.


Frances McDormand has been an incredible talent since her debut in Blood Simple and starring in nearly all of the Coen Brothers' films has given her ample time to display her incredible range.  Mildred Hayes is a more dour and sombre character than usual for McDormand, but she stills brings a deep-seated rage and vindication to the role that makes Mildred a renegade, 'nothing-left-to-lose' character that becomes hard not to root for.

On the other side of the conflict, Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell portray Ebbing's police chief and deputy respectively, and both live up to their reputations; Harrelson stoic and methodical, and Rockwell chaotic and foolish.  With Mildred's baiting billboards, you'd imagine a rage-fuelled performance from Harrelson similar to his seething portrayal of the General in last year's War For The Planet of the Apes, but instead he takes a backseat to Rockwell who manifests himself as Righteous Justice.

Rockwell embodies the stereotype of a racist, idiotic hick but since he has a police badge and lawful use of a firearm, understandably this results in more than one extreme use of police force.  Rockwell's Officer Dixon is often the butt of the film's jokes, but it's not just Dixon's stupidity to blame for the injustice in Ebbing, Missouri. 

The film instead focuses on the poisonous impact of hatred and it's pointlessness when trying to grieve or find justice in today's world.  Harrelson's Police Chief Willoughby tries to explain this to Dixon throughout the film, with Dixon only becoming what he truly wants to be once he gives up his anger and negative behaviour.

A bit different from two Irish hitmen hiding in a Flemish city.  But Three Billboards is equally heavy in moments and tone.

Thankfully though, similar to McDonagh's previous films, In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths, there is more than enough humour sprinkled throughout the film to keep the tone balanced from the darker moments.  Most of the laughs come from supporting players, such as Peter Dinklage's love-struck neighbour and Samara Weaving's air-head love rival, who both provide subtle and effective performances.


Overall, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri serves well as an effective emotional catharsis. Regardless of who you are angry at, they get their comeuppance in this film.


Police are treated as ineffective. 
Racists are treated as idiots. 
Smug people get thrown through windows. 


It's truly a heartwarming ride.  If you'd like to see a realistic portrayal of grief and how people coming together can at least try to overcome it, I'd highly recommend this film.


Rating


8/10

Until next time, thanks for reading!

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