Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Martin McDonagh; November 10, 2017) Movie • Page 9

Even if the film did not try to give redemption to that character, it is still a disaster of a movie. There are more things wrong with the film that come from every direction.

Of course, that article calls the film a black comedy. Why is it a comedy? Why would a comedy be about a woman seeking redemption for the rape and murder of her daughter in a town that is full of inept and racist police officers? Where is the joke? Is that how you justify dumb things like Harrelson's suicide note?

 

Do people normally drive around with full sized fire extinguishers in their cars?

 

I may watch this film tonight for free at my friends place. Gonna keep an open mind-- haven't read or heard many good things about it but I really liked Seven Psychopaths. Also going to meet their new adopted corgi-chihuahua mix which I'm pumped about lol

 

...weird movie. Dont think I particularly liked much of it other than Frances’ performance. Lots of things wrong imo with plotholes and problematic writing.

 

https://www.avclub.com/martin-mcdonagh-addresses-the-three-billboards-backlash-1822889695

 

I have a question about the Sam Rockwell stuff. I haven’t seen he movie but the conversation is interesting. People don’t think he should be nominated for awards because the character is redeemed without earning it. But what does that have to do with Rockwells performance? I mean if he acted the part well doesn’t he deserve the recognition whether the character is a bad guy or not? I mean it’s not him that wrote the character clumsily. I’m just curious why there is ongoing talk of him not deserving the award based on the way the character is written instead of the way he acted it.

 

Writing aside, his acting itself is, at best, fine — wouldn’t say it’s better than any of the other supporting roles nominated or that could’ve / should’ve been nominated.

 

It is the typical wild overacting that attracts a lot of awards attention every year. His walk is so bizarre but obviously heavily calculated.

 

Again i haven’t seen it. I just don’t think awards for acting should have anything to do with the kind of character the actor is portraying, and only with HOW the actor is doing it. I just find it confusing to here people saying he doesn’t deserve it cause the character is a bad person. Like just because the character is a bad person doesn’t make Sam Rockwell one.

 

Lots of acting awards have gone to people playing villains

 

I know, so i don’t get why people are acting like giving Sam Rockwell an award for this particular character is so problematic

 

It’s rewarding a movie they criticize

 

Sam Rockwell's performance just wasn't award-worthy, and I say that as a Sam Rockwell fan and someone who didn't hate the film. The character is a cartoon character for all but a few scenes. Woody Harrelson did a much better job with less screen time if you disregard his "I have cancer" moment.

I would give the film a 3/5. I understood what the film was going for and appreciated some of the more clever choices (the sheriff's revenge for example). No one is redeemed at the end and we weren't supposed to believe otherwise which is a bold choice. However, the acting and script were all over the place. McDonagh bites off more than he can chew with how many themes he tries to stuff in (some of which, he clearly has little understanding of) and nobody talks or behaves like a real person. The levity is miscalculated so there isn't much to release the tension of how overwhelmingly unpleasant the film is. I came out of the theater wondering how the hell an interesting but deeply flawed film like this could be treated like a minor masterpiece.

 

This pretty much nails it but i think 3/5 is a little generous.

 

Fair enough. I will say that my generosity came from the my appreciation of the originality and sheer (highly flawed) ambition of the film, as well as things that go beyond the script like cinematography, sound, and some really good performances that balanced out the bad ones. I've thought about this film more than I have about films I geniunely loved and I think that means something. I'm glad it exists the way it is, even if I don't really like it.

 

With you 100%. It's a mediocre film that had potential but was mishandled by someone who I had previously put a lot of artistic faith in. Still was competently made and had some good performances (McDormand, for example, acted the hell out of some really bad dialogue). Doesn't deserve to be anywhere near the awards conversation but is also nowhere near the worst film I've ever seen.

 

Think about the “I hope I get raped” flashback and how jarring it was all the time.

 

I was talking about that last night. One of the worst things in a film... ever?

 

I watched this movie with a couple of friends and after that scene, a lot of us were pretty vocal in our willingness to turn it off. But we stuck it through. It did not get any better.

 

It was an available movie on the plane yesterday. I watched the Flight Tracker the entire time instead.

 

Wow

 

Like how many Academy voters live in Los Feliz?

 

Looks like they may have needed an extra billboard to say everything they wanted to say.

 

Los Feliz Hills has a ton of industry people living there

 

Well what do I know? I’ve never been to California!