Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Movie Review #9357 THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI.

Very Coen-esque tale of a grieving mother resorting to an unusual method to prevent her daughter's murder case sinking without a trace.

Frances McDormand, actually in real life Mrs Coen takes the centre stage as Mildred Hayes, aforementioned mother with ex-Cheerser Woody Harrelson as the local boss cop and Sam Rockwell a numbskull deputy who has a habit of putting foot in mouth with alarming regularity.

It's typically dark, (very) subtley (is that a word?) comic with some brilliantly placed  little quips and gems that you need to be on your toes to catch, think I missed a few! The plot dips and dives, sets you up then hauls you back down again and works an unpredictability that is quite refreshing albeit frustrating at times.

McDormand is superb, Woody-boy equally so and Rockwell complete with gormless haircut floors everyone with a keen performance and a character who turns a corner during the proceedings. Other notable characters are the chief's wife Anne, Peter Dinklage with the hots for Mildred and Mildred's ex who parades his young but dumb trophy girlfriend around the show.

It shows that given a good script and masterful screenplay, actors have license to shine and certainly this cast does that very well. Bound to be in award contention and wouldn't be surprised to see it take a hatful.

9.5/10.