Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
While Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri poses as a radical political commentary, the disguise all but crumbles into a cluster of confusion when the film offers nothing worthwhile to say.
In continuation of Hollywood’s tradition of quickly rewarding those who do the bare minimum, Three Billboards is receiving critical acclaim for its “brave” attempt to bring many hot button issues to the surface, and it is also exactly in this attempt that the film flounders. The political commentary in the film takes on several contradictory identities and the film refuses to commit to any one of them. In the end, the only solution the film can provide for every question it raises is an abrupt ending that feels more unfinished than ambiguous. There is also nothing noble and praiseworthy about lumping every single important issue and every political stance under the sky together knowing full well that the film cannot do all these issues justice in just two hours. Ultimately, the “attempt” is tainted by an obvious lack of genuine interest in faithfully capturing the magnitude of the issues at hand.
The most troubling thing, though, is that the filmmakers expect audience to sympathise with a character so despicable simply because of his sudden change of heart without wanting to actually deal with the consequences his moral crimes. Instead, they tiptoe around the issue by appealing to our compassion but such compassion is terribly misplaced considering that it is never directed to those who had been wronged by this character. To think that forgiveness can be automatically given the moment when the offender demands it is obtuse.
Three Billboards is, perhaps ironically, a rear view mirror for Hollywood to examine their form of activism — name dropping socio-political causes without any follow-up actions. Questions, like the ones raised in Three Billboards, do not just vaporize into thin air after they are vocalized, it is only the beginning.
“This didn't put an end to shit, you fucking retard; this is just the fucking start. Why don't you put that on your Good Morning Missouri fucking wake up broadcast, bitch?”
(Originally posted on 14 Jan 2018 @projectunwrapped)
