Movie Review

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri uses violent means for emotional ends

In just two films, writer/director Martin McDonagh has established himself as a filmmaker with unusual tastes, marrying dialogue and violence in ways reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino. His first two films — In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths — have become cult classics because of their distinct characters and styles, making his next film a must-see no matter the subject.

The unwieldy title of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is the first indication that audience members will be taken on a different kind of ride than they may be used to. Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand), upset with the lack of resolution in her daughter’s murder case, puts up three billboards near her home on the outskirts of town, calling out Sheriff Bill Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) for not being able to find the killer.

Hayes’ actions cause a ripple effect throughout the community. Not everyone agrees with her tactic, especially the dimwitted and volatile Officer Jason Dixon (Sam Rockwell). But the more challenges she gets, the more determined she becomes, even if that means that she must commit acts of violence herself.

McDonagh has to strike a tricky balance in the film, keeping us on the side of a grieving mother even as she does things that are way out of bounds of accepted societal behavior. He does so by softening her outbursts with quieter moments like planting flowers underneath the billboards or reminiscing about her daughter, always keeping her motives at the forefront.

Despite what the advertising may lead you to believe, the film is not a bloody and profane free-for-all. It has its fair share of violence, but the story mostly meanders as Hayes interacts with Willoughby, Dixon, her son (Lucas Hedges), ex-husband (John Hawkes), and more. The profanity is so over the top at times, including out-of-the-blue slurs, that it’s mostly for comic effect.

Unfortunately, the plot wanders so much that it includes a handful of seemingly unnecessary subplots. One involves James (Peter Dinklage) and seems to have no purpose other than for him to be called “midget” multiple times. Thankfully, the film recovers in its final act, delivering an unexpected coda that satisfies in a way that stays true to the story without wrapping everything up in a tidy bow.

What makes Three Billboards especially different is that it offers no easy answers. Standard films would have Hayes unequivocally be the protagonist and Willoughby and Dixon be the bad guys. But McDonagh throws all kinds of nuance into the equation, a highly unusual approach for this type of movie, which keeps the audience off-balance through most of the running time.

McDormand has been giving standout performances for over 30 years, with somehow only four Oscar nominations (and one win, for Fargo) to show for it. She should be assured of a fifth nomination for this role, in which she runs a true gamut of emotions without making any of them seem false or contrived.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is at once exactly the type of movie McDonagh likes to make and something completely new. At various points, it’s thoughtful, hilarious, touching, and violent, and somehow all of them meld together for one great experience.

Frances McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Frances McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Photo by Merrick Morton

Frances McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Vinyl Record News

Dallas record store chain Josey Records spins new location in Garland

Josey Records

Josey Records

Vinyl at Josey Records

Dallas music maker Josey Records has extended its reach east: The record store chain, whose empire includes one of the largest single independent record stores in the U.S., has opened a location in Garland, at 1005 Northwest Hwy., at the intersection of Centerville Road, where it's selling its trademark assortment of vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, turntables, music posters, new releases, and music accessories.

This is the sixth location and the third in the Dallas area, joining the original in Farmers Branch which owners Waric Cameron and Luke Sardello opened in November 2014. They've since opened locations in Plano, Tulsa, Kansas City, and Vidalia, Missouri.

The original location is a giant place with 16,000 square feet devoted to vinyl, 45s, CDs, turntables, and T-shirts. They do a good job showcasing new releases and collector vinyl — they made CultureMap's list of 5 best places in Dallas to buy vinyl records — and are known to host album release and listening parties such as a recent blockbuster celebrating Linkin Park.

They made headlines in June 2020 when they acquired the vast musical inventory of Bill’s Records following the death of owner Bill Wisener; Cameron and Sardello both worked at Bill’s, and knew the sprawling collection first-hand.

"It has taken us years to even start going through it, but in last two years, we've made some headway," Cameron says. "Bill's has its own audience, so we created a specific Instagram account, just for Bill's Records merchandise called @billsrecordsvault."

They chose Garland because they saw it as an area that was under-served.

"There are very few record stores in that area of northeast Dallas, Casa View, Garland, Rockwall, Mesquite," Cameron says. "We have customers who live over there, so it seemed like a good place for a store."

The storefront they're in was most recently The Music Store, which sold and rented musical instruments and accessories; but coincidentally, it's next to an address that was once RPM Records, a hip record store from the '90s.

The Garland store follows the same model as their others: selling new and used records and merchandise, and buying used goods, as well.

"One thing that's cool is that each location takes on its own identity," he says. "We buy used CDs, vinyl records, cassettes — we're a used resale business — and what we buy from our customers dictates what that store becomes. For example, our Plano store has a lot of classic rock. So we're looking forward to seeing what Garland gravitates to."

Garland does have one thing that the other locations do not.

"Right now, Garland has this incredible collection of jazz," Cameron says. "We bought a great collection of jazz records — someone called and wanted to sell it. We get that a lot, we buy major collections from all over the U.S., we even make house calls. So we saved it for the Garland store."

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