Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/929711
maltatoday SUNDAY 21 JANUARY 2018 40 This Week A young woman is raped and mur- dered on the outskirts of the sleepy town of Ebbing, Missouri. While an understaffed – or, at least, staffed by ineffectual and raging morons like Lt Dixon (Sam Rockwell – po- lice department led by the well- meaning veteran Chief Willoughby (Woody Harrleson) claims not to have any evidence to lead them to the culprit, the victim's mother, Mildred Hayes (Frances McDor- mand) decides to take matters into her own hands. Making full use of a forceful manner we immediately assume has become her trademark around town – a trait understandably in- tensified by the recent tragedy to hit her life, and the life of her remaining child, Robbie (Lucas Hedges) whom she raises as a sin- gle mum – she books the film's titular three billboards to read: 'Raped While Dying'; 'Still No Arrests'; 'Howcome, Chief Willg- houby?'. The move appears to be inspired by nothing more than petty spite- fulness, and that's how it's seen by the bulk of the small community in which she's still forced to live, working away at a gift shop and handling any number of petty indignities – like the sight of her abusive ex-husband Charlie (John Hawkes) dating a 19-year-old zoo employee, Penelope (Samara Weaving) – all the while trying to process the throbbing grief in her chest. A grief that yearns for justice, even if it leads to the whole world turning against her. Written and directed by Irish playwright and filmmaker Mar- tin McDonagh (In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths), Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a true sucker-punch of a movie. As the above synopsis suggests – and the film's directness is such that fluff- ing it up with context before get- ting to the meat of the story is an entirely pointless exercise – the story gives us an immediate and striking emotional and narrative hook. This is perhaps down to Mc- Donagh's experience of writing for the theatre – with productions like The Pillowman and The Lieu- tenant of Innishmore still being staged... the latter was even put up in Malta by Unifaun back in 2005 – because familial grief and a de- sire for revenge lies behind some of our most ancient stage-tales (the Elizabethan-era 'revenge tragedy' was its own genre, and even fur- ther back, just think of the Ancient Greeks and the likes of Medea...). But whatever the inspirations behind this heady, quirky and vol- canically heartfelt film may be, McDonagh has pulled off some- thing great, and he's found a more than appropriate channel for it in Frances McDormand. The actress needs very little qualification as a worthwhile screen presence, having etched herself in cinema history thanks to her portrayal of the heavily pregnant and dog- gedly compassionate police officer Marge Gunderson in the Coen Bros's Fargo (1996). Here she flips the tables even on that role, deliv- ering a masterclass in the many faces of grief. But one face dominates the pro- ceedings over all others. And that is a blind rage that leads to the kind of black humour that hooked us during the film's trailer but which also – as we allow the full two-hour film to unspool in all its glory – reveals the pitfalls of such a one-note stance against the world. And this is one of the most worthwhile take-aways from Mc- Donagh's blistering, upsetting and – ultimately – triumphantly enjoyable film: we are all broken human beings, but given the space to heal even the most broken and toxic among us can come back and do good things. On the surface, this may just read like a standard Hollywood story of fist-pumping triumph at the tail end of initially – and apparently – insurmount- able odds. But McDonagh is a meticulous writer who traces the emotional trajectories of his char- acters – all of them. Every laugh he tickles out of you and every tear he plucks of out of your eye – by sucker punch, more often than not – is wholly, entirely earned. There is no space for melodrama here. But McDonagh leaves no room for cheap cynicism neither. The verdict Three Billboards Outside Ebb- ing, Missouri is an emotional rollercoaster that fully earns each spin. An original and gripping sto- ry will get you there, but the clutch of powerhouse performances aid- ed along by intelligent, funny and heartbreaking writing will ensure you enjoy a "complete" cinematic experiences devoid of shortcuts and cliches. Its sweeping up of the major Golden Globes should come as no surprise. Now let's see what the Oscars will bring. IN CINEMAS TODAY Embassy Cinemas Valletta Tel. 21 227436, 21 245818 Coco (3D) (U) 10:25, 13:45, 16:15, 18:40, 21:00 The Greatest Showman (PG) 10:25, 13:35, 15:55, 18:15, 20:45 Wonder (PG) 16:00, 18:30, 21:00 Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (12A) 10:25, 13:30, 16:05, 18:35, 21:10 Ferdinand (U) 10:15, 13:45, 16:05, 18:25 Murder on the Orient Express (12A) 20:50 All The Money in the World (15) 10:15, 14:15, 18:00, 20:50 Valletta Living History (U) 10:00, 10:45, 11:30, 12:15, 13:00, 13:45, 14:30, 15:15 Eden Cinemas St Julian's Tel. 23 710400 All the Money in the World (15) 14:10, 18:05, 21:10, 23:15 Coco (3D) (U) 11:40, 14:00, 16:25, 18:40, 21:00 Daddy's Home 2 (12A) 11:35, 18:15, 20:30 Darkest Hour (PG) 14:30, 18:00, 20:35 Ferdinand (U) 11:30, 14:00, 16:20, 18:40 Happy End (12A) 16:25, 21:15 Hostiles (15) 11:35, 14:30, 18:00, 20:45, 23:30 Insidious: The Last Key (15) 14:10, 16:25, 18:45, 21:00, 23:15 Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (12A) 11:25, 13:50, 16:15, 18:45, 21:15, 22:35 Jupiter's Moon (15) 13:50, 18:40 Molly's Game (15) 21:00 Murder on the Orient Express (12A) 14:20, 18:00, 20:40 Rigoletto (15) 15:00 Star Wars: The Last Jedi (12A) 14:30, 18:00, 21:00 The Greatest Showman (PG) 11:30, 14:05, 16:20, 18:40, 20:55, 23:10 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (15) 11:20, 14:00, 16:25, 18:50, 21:15, 23:40 Empire Cinemas Bugibba Tel. 21 581787, 21 581909 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (15) 10:45, 13:30,16:05, 18:35, 21:05 The Greatest Showman (PG) 10:45, 13:35, 16:00, 18:25, 20:50 Coco (PG) 11:05, 13:45, 16:05, 18:30, 20:50 Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (12A) 10:50, 13:35, 16:10, 18:40, 21:10 Ferdinand (U) 11:00, 13:40, 16:20, 18:40 All The Money in the World (15) 21:00 Darkest Hour (PG) 10:30, 13:30, 16:05, 18:40, 21:15 Insidious: The Last Key (15) 11:00, 13:45, 16:15, 18:30, 20:55 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ TOP BILLING ★ ★ ★ ★ BILLED FOR SUCCESS ★ ★ ★ CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH ★ ★ BILL'S OVERDUE ★ BILLY GOAT FILM By Teodor Reljic Grief is a thing with razors THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI (15) ★ ★ ★ ★ Fire, fury, tears... and laughter make up the heady-and-hilarious concoction that is Martin McDonagh's award-winning comedy-drama, starring Frances McDormand Beyond redemption(?): Sam Rockwell Powerhouse: Frances McDormand is determined to leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of her daughter's killer – and the veteran actress gives a performance to match the requisite intensity