I can only assume that this film has such a good rating on here because its release was well-timed. The film is at its best when displaying a mother's grief. McDormand is the best part and she rightly got the Oscar. The film had the good fortune to be topical as the #Metoo movement and the fall of Weinstein occurred right as it was released. On first pass-and in that context-I am sure the film plays better but watching it today in 2021 it is a deeply frustrating film.

McDonough's story plays out like a morality play with a dark comedic tone. The three main characters-all anchored by strong performances-bounce off each other as victim/villain and the film expertly plays around with your sympathies. But the story is not American or one of Missouri. I mean that the setting is only used as a mere backdrop; McDonough seems uninterested in and completely misunderstands race, racism in America. It is why Dixon's (a great Rockwell) brutality towards black people is only used as a plot mechanic. The film tries to deal with too many issues in American society and the juggling act proves too much for the Irish McDonough.

It may have been forgiven for the film to miss the nuances of American society but the film plays out like a "wotcher terrible things happen in rural colonies, cheerio!" take. Missouri-even rural deep red Missouri-is more Midwestern than Southern. In the film Ebbing plays much more like a Southern town. Ebbing seems to be exactly the same place as In The Heat of Night's Sparta. But no Mississippi and Missouri are different places. Worse of all the film wasn't filmed in Missouri and you can tell immediately. The film should not have used flashpoints in American society if it was only interested in using America as a backdrop.

This should have been Three Billboards...Kenmare, Ireland. Write what you know!