The controversy around Three Billboards Outside ... - Vox

Martin McDonagh's Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri seemed poised from the start to be an awards-season steamroller. Skiptomaincontent clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile MidtermElections EvenBetter Recode TheGoods FuturePerfect TheHighlight Crossword Podcasts Video Explainers Covid Culture Politics&Policy Science&Health World Technology Energy&Environment Business&Finance ✕ HowThreeBillboardswentfromfilmfestdarlingtoawards-seasoncontroversy It’saquestionofredemption. By AlissaWilkinson@alissamarie Updated Feb22,2018,3:28pmEST Sharethisstory SharethisonFacebook SharethisonTwitter Share Allsharingoptions Share Allsharingoptionsfor: HowThreeBillboardswentfromfilmfestdarlingtoawards-seasoncontroversy Reddit Pocket Flipboard Email SamRockwellandFrancesMcDormandinThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,Missouri. FoxSearchlight Thisstoryispartofagroupofstoriescalled Vox'sguidetotheyear’smostessentialfilms,fromtheTorontoInternationalFilmFestivaltotheAcademyAwards. MartinMcDonagh’sThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,Missouriseemedpoisedfromthestarttobeanawards-seasonsteamroller.ItboastsabevyofstrongperformancesledbyFrancesMcDormand,SamRockwell,andWoodyHarrelson,andabarnburningscreenplaybyMcDonagh—allofwhomareamongthefilm’ssevenOscarnominations,whichalsoincludeBestPicture.AnditwasclearfromthetrailerthatThreeBillboardswasamovieaboutawomanfedupwiththeworld’sinjusticeingeneralandherowntown’sspecifically;McDonaghhadbeenworkingonthescreenplayforyears,butitsarrivalseemedperfectlytimedfortheendof2017. ThefilmrakedinaccoladesfromcriticsatitsfestivalpremiereinVeniceandmoreinTorontothenextweek.(IsawitinToronto,andthoughIdidn’tlovethefilmasmuchassomeofmycolleagues,Iappreciatedwhatitwasgoingfor.)Butitwasn’tjustmanycriticswholovedthemovie:Theticket-buyingaudienceatthepublicscreeningsinTorontoalsovotedtoawardthefilmthePeople’sChoiceAward,historicallyasolidindicatoroffutureawards-seasonsuccess.TheaudiencepickedThreeBillboardsovercrowd-pleasingmovieslikeTheShapeofWater,DarkestHour,andMolly’sGame.Clearly,ithadhitanerve. FrancesMcDormandandSamRockwellatthepremiereofThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,MissouriattheTorontoInternationalFilmFestivalinSeptember2017. MichaelTran/GettyImages Butwhenthemoviestartedscreeningoutsidethefestivalcircuitweekslater,whathadlookedlikeconsensusbetweenbothaudiencesandcriticsbegantocrumble.ThreeBillboardsgotsomethingveryrightaboutwomen’srage,butitalsogotsomethingverywrongaboutrace—nosmallmatterforafilmsetinMissouriin2017thatfeaturesanopenlyracistcopwhodancesaroundthen-wordandhastorturedablackmaninpolicecustody. It’snotunusualforamoviewithpositivebuzzcomingoffthefestivalcircuittofallpreytoabacklashcycle(aswithLaLaLand)ortoother,moreseriousmatters(aswithTheBirthofaNation).Norisitunusualforcriticsandviewerstobedividedonafilm(aswithTheLastJedi). Butwhat’shappenedwithThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,Missouridoesn’tfallneatlyintoanyofthosecategories.“Backlash”cansimplyamounttoconversationsamongcriticsabouttheartisticandaestheticmeritsofparticularfilms,buttheconversationaroundThreeBillboardsgoesdeeper.Oritcanberelatedtonewrevelationsaboutthefilm’screator,aswithTheBirthofaNation’sNateParkerorILoveYouDaddy’sLouisC.K.—butthat’snotthecasehereeither.Andsometimesit’ssimplyamatterofaudiencesandcriticsdisagreeing,butthecongruitybetweencriticsandaudiencesatTIFFindicatesthatsomethingelseisatplay. Sowhat’sthesourceoftheThreeBillboards“backlash”?Whosefaultisit?Issomeonewrongintheirviewofthefilm?Andwhatdoesitsayaboutthewaywewatchfilmstoday?Answeringthosequestionsmeanslookingatnotjustthefilmitselfanditscriticalresponses,butalsooneofitsprimaryinfluences:theworkofFlanneryO’Connor,whoseworldviewstumbleswhentransferredtoMcDonagh’sfilm,scramblingitsinternallogic. ThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,Missouriisaboutanangrywomanandacorruptcop FrancesMcDormandinThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,Missouri. FoxSearchlight Note:It’simpossibletoaddressthesequestionsadequatelywithouttalkingaboutthefilm’splot,sospoilersfollow. ThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,MissouriisamovieaboutabereavedmothernamedMildredHayes(FrancesMcDormand)whohashaditwiththefailureofthelocalpolicedepartmenttofindthepersonresponsibleforrapingandmurderingherdaughter.SherentsthreebillboardsonaroadleadingoutofEbbingandpaystohavethememblazonedwithblackletteringonaredbackground: RAPEDWHILEDYINGANDSTILLNOARRESTS?HOWCOME,CHIEFWILLOUGHBY? ChiefWilloughby(WoodyHarrelson)takesthewholethingmoreorlessinstride,butoneofhiscops,OfficerDixon(SamRockwell),islesssanguineaboutit.WhileMildred’scampaignmakesregionalnewsandstirsupthetown,Dixongoesonawarpathofsorts,tryingtobullythebillboardcompanyintogettingthesignsremovedandMildredintobackingoff. Thesituationkeepsescalating—eventuallyMolotovcocktailsareinvolved—butitmorphs,too,especiallyafteramomentouseventthatleavesDixonreeling:Willoughby,whohasbeensufferingfrompancreaticcancer,takeshisownlifeonenight,whichsendsDixonintoamoralspiral. Bytheendofthefilm,MildredandDixonhavereachedakindofunderstanding,onethatjoinsthemtogetherinagrudgingalliance;theymaynotbefriends,buttheirrageisnowpointedinthesamedirection. MosteveryoneagreesthatwhatThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,Missourigetsrightisitsportrayalofawomanwho’sfinallyhadenough.Mildredisn’twhatyou’dcalla“likable”character—hercrueltreatmentofJames(PeterDinklage),who’sjusttryingtotakeheronadate,isespeciallywince-inducing—butshe’sagrievingmotherandanass-kickerandcertainlyarelatablecharacterformanyviewers.(Itdoesn’thurtthatshe’ssharpasatackandknowsherwayaroundaninsult.)ThatMcDormand’srawperformanceiswinningawardsisnoshocker,andafterherBestActresswinattheGoldenGlobesandherOscarnomination,sheseemslikeaclearfrontrunnerforthebigawardinMarch. ThecontroversyaroundThreeBillboardsisn’treallyaboutMildred,though.It’saboutSamRockwell’scharacter,theracistOfficerDixon.McDonaghwritesDixonasahickandaloserwhostillliveswithhisverballyabusivemotherandalmostfailedoutofschool.He’sobviouslyanidiot,ascrew-upandanalcoholicwhocan’tcontrolhisimpulsesandturnstoviolencefar,fartooquicklyforacop(oranyone,really). SamRockwellandSandyMartininThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,Missouri. FoxSearchlight He’salsoanunabashedracist,whoexplodesatMildredwhenshetauntshimfortorturingablackman,andthroughoutthefilmhismatter-of-factbeliefthatblackpeoplesimplyaren’trealpeopleismademorethanevident.Thatthemovieisset(thoughvisiblynotshot)inMissouriaddsanextrapainfullayertothischaracterization,giventhestate’shistoryofpolicebrutalitytowardpeopleofcolor,particularlyinFerguson. Dixon,andhisracism,iswherethecontroversylies.It’snotaboutwhetherhe’saracist—that’sobvious—butratherabouthowthefilmwantsaudiencestofeelaboutDixon.We’reintroducedtohimasacaricaturecalculatedtooffend,thecopwhotorturedablackmanincustody,whogetsdrunkandthreatenspeople,whocaresaboutpeoplefearingthepolicemorethanthingslikejusticeandpublicsafety.TheonlypersonwhoseemstoseeanythinggoodinDixonisWilloughby,whotellshiminaletterthatheisagoodman“deepdown”—andthereasonshethinksthatareneverreallyclear.Inshort,Dixonisabadcop,ontopofbeinganidiot. ThecontroversyoverThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,Missourihastodowithredemption Wherethefilm’sfansanditsdetractorsseemtodivergeisonhowDixon’scharacterdevelopsoverthefilm’sruntime.ThoughMildredisintroducedastheprotagonistofThreeBillboards,sheevolvesintosomethingmorelikeanantagonistintheend,whileDixonundergoessomekindoftransformation.Themovietakespainstoshowthatsome(notall,butdefinitelysome)ofhisblatantbigotryandgeneralawfulnesscomesfromhisupbringing,particularlyhismother(SandyMartin),whodenigrateshimateveryturn. SowhenDixon’sviolenceisturnedtowardendsthatmatchMildred’s,itreadasaredemptionarcforsome.Dixonoverhearsamanbraggingaboutsexualassaultand,convincedthathe’sMildred’sdaughter’srapist,leapsintoaction.Itturnsoutthemanisn’ttherapist,butMildredandDixon,reasoningthatheclearlyrapedsomebody,setoutsomewhatruefullytokillhimanyhow.(Itisn’tclear,fromtheendofthemovie,whethertheyfollowthroughonthatplan.) Andthat’swherethefilmleavesus.Thatdidn’tsitwellwithsomecritics,whosawitasaparryonthefilm’sparttoredeemDixonwithoutaskinghimtodoanythingbutthemostbasicworktowardthatredemption. FrancesMcDormand,ClarkePeters,andLucasHedgesinThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,Missouri. FoxSearchlight “Rockwell’sviolentcharacternearlydiesinThreeBillboardsandheloseshisjob,sohisonlycourseofredemptionishelpingMcDormandhuntforherdaughter’srapist,”IraMadisonIIIwroteattheDailyBeast.“Hediscoverspotentialinformationbyhappenstance,butwe’resupposedtobelievehehassuchamoralcompassthathespringsintoaction.” “Itisaskingalotofpeopletowatchastoryinwhichwerootforaracistandabusivepoliceofficerinthenameofhisownredemption,butitisaskingevenmoreoftheaudienceifDixonhimselfdoesnoactualworkinthenameofearningthatredemption,”HanifAbdurraqibwroteatPacificStandard. “McDonaghpainstakinglyhumanizesacharacterwhowefindhasunapologeticallytorturedablackmaninpolicecustody...andthenThreeBillboardsseemstoaskaudiencestoforgiveandforgetwrongslikepoliceviolence,domesticabuse,andsexualassaultwithoutdemonstratingafullunderstandingofthecenturies-longtollthesecrimeshavetakenonvictimsinreallife,”AprilWolfewroteattheVillageVoice.“Insomeways,watchingthisfilmislikereadingthosealt-rightfashionprofilesofRichardSpencerthatinsistedweoverlookhiscampaignofquietterrorandfindcommongroundwithhim.Nope.” Theseopinions,andmanyothers,sawDixon’sturntowardamorejustcauseandrecoiled:Itwasunearned,itfelttrite,andmostofall,itdenigratedtheexperienceofthefilm’sfewblackcharacters,particularlytheunseenonesDixonhadtortured—asiftheirlivesreallydidn’tmatterexceptaspropsforawhiteman’sredemption.Oneblackwoman,significantly,isjailedfordaysbyDixonsimplybecauseshe’sMildred’sfriend,butthefilmneverbotherstocommentonherexperienceonceshe’sreleased.She’sjustanotherpieceofDixon’spuzzle. NoteveryonereadDixon’sarcasredemptive.(Truthfully,ithadnotoccurredtomeatall.)WritingattheWashingtonPost,SonnyBunchsuggestedthemoviewasbestreadascontainingnotaredemptionarc,butoneofdamnation.TheTelegraph’scriticRobbieCollinwroteatlengthinathreadonTwitterabouthowthecharacterfunctionedwithinthegrotesquemode,arguingthat“thefacttheempathyanddisgustcomehandinhand[inthatmode]is*themostimportantpart*.It’sbasicallytheoppositeofaredemptionarc,whichtakesyouonafunridefromthelattertotheformer,andwealllivehappilyeverafter.”(Wolfetookissuewiththatreading.) Soistherea“right”interpretationofDixon’sarc?Thisisthehardestquestiontoanswerwhenitcomestosituationslikethese;whatyouseeinaworkofarthaseverythingtodowithwhoyouareandwhatyoubringtothework,andasIwroteinDecember,there’saveryrealsenseinwhichnobodyeverseesthesamemovie. ButwhatiscertainaboutThreeBillboardsisthatifthismanypeoplesawDixon’sarcasredemptive—andifwetakethemostcharitableview,thatitwasn’tintendedtotrivializetheexperiencesofabusedandtorturedblackcharactersinordertohumanizeawhitecharacter—thentheproblemisinthefilmitself,whichallowedroomforareadingthatwascountertoitsintentions.(Ifthatsortofdehumanizationofblackpeoplewasthefilm’sintention,thenithasanotherproblemaltogether.)Afilmthatcanbereadbyviewerswhoapproachitingoodfaithinamannerthatiscountertoitsintentionsissimplyflawedstorytelling. InthecaseofThreeBillboards,thoseflawslieintwoareas.One,it’sdefinitelyanoverstuffedfilm,takingonsomanymattersatoncethatsomeofthemwillinevitablygettreatedasprops—inthiscase,thematterofrace.Andtwo,anoft-leveledcriticismofthefilmseemsrelevanthere:thatMcDonagh,whoisIrish,seemstohavecrash-landedintoasettinghedoesn’treallyunderstandanddidn’tparticularlycaretolearnaboutbeforehetriedtomimicitonscreen. “McDonagh’sattemptstotranslatetheworking-classIrishclichésofhispreviouswritingintoAmerica’shistoryoftensionbetweenwhiteandblackmenismorethanhorriblymisguided,it’sdistasteful,”Madisonwritesinhispiece,laternotingthat“whetheritbethroughmaliceorignorance,McDonagh’sattemptstoscripttheblackexperienceinAmericaareoftenfumblingandbackwardandfullofoutdatedtropes.”(YoucanalmostimagineaversionofthismovietitledThreeBillboardsOutsideKilkennythatwouldhaveworkedmuchbetter.) ProbablythebestarticleIreadonthefilmwasbyBuzzFeed’sAlisonWillmore,whocarefullythreadedadifficultneedlebyexploringhowthefilmbothencapsulatesakindofrageandtreatsmattersofraceflippantly,failingitscharactersanditsaudienceintheprocessbyfallingpreytothefallacythatwecanonlybeangryatonethingatonce.Itwoundupundercuttingthefilm’sappeal,shewrote:“Butwhile[Mildred’s]isaragethat’sexhilaratingtowitness,it’saragethat’snotavailabletoeveryone.JustasnoteveryoneinEbbingcanclaimtheprotectionofbeingconsidering‘good,’westilldon’tliveinaworldwhereeveryonegetstobeangry.” ThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,Missourionlyworksonaleveltowhichitsownuniversedoesn’thew Asacritic,andonewho’swrittenprettyextensivelyonreligionandthemovies,IinstantlylatchedontotheearlytellinthefilmthatMcDonaghwastryingtochannelFlanneryO’Connor,theCatholicwriterfromtheAmericanSouthwhoispracticallyasaintamongChristianswhothinkseriouslyaboutliterature.CalebLandryJones’scharacter,whorunsthebillboardcompany,isreading“AGoodManIsHardtoFind”whenMildredfirstshowsupinhisoffice.Evenwithoutthattell,itwouldhavebeenobvious:Thedeviceofasetofbillboardsandabunchofmessed-upcharactersisvintageO’Connor. ThatO’Connorwasadevout,practicingCatholicwhooftendecriedwhatshesawasthesentimentalismandnamby-pambyismofreligiousliteratureinhertimeisnosecrettothosewho’vereadherwritinginbookslikeMysteryandMannersandherlettersinTheHabitofBeing.It’salsothekeytoherwork.AsIwroteinmyreview, InO’Connor’sSouthandinEbbing,Missouri,theworldiswildandviolent,agothicmid-spacesuspendedinacreakyoldtownlocatedsomewherebetweenheavenandhell.Nobodylivingthere,whetherthey’reobsessedwithjusticeorlovingtowardtheirfamilyorjustlivingabanallyboringlife,isinherentlygood.Butsometimes,ifyousquintandletyourguarddownjustforamoment,abitofgracewormsitswaythroughthecracksanyhow. O’Connor’smostwell-knownshortstoryisprobably“AGoodManIsHardtoFind,”aboutafamilyonaroadtripwhoaremurderedbyanotoriousserialkillercalledtheMisfit,andtosayanyoneis“redeemed”inthatstorywouldbequiteastretch.Butthere’samoment—justaflash,andatwistedone—whereyoucatchaglimpseoflightforthestory’smostreprehensiblecharacter,whoisnottheserialkillerbuttheracist,narcissisticgrandmother.Itdoesn’tendwell.Butit’sthereallthesame. FrancesMcDormandandPeterDinklageinThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,MIssouri. FoxSearchlight O’Connor’stheologicalcommitments—traditionalChristianonesaboutanutterlybrokenworldthatisflawednotjustintheindividualsbutinthesystemsallaroundthem—arewhatmakeherstorieswork.InChristiantheology,“grace”isfavorthatpeoplereceivefromGodwithoutmeritingit.Ahumancannotearngrace,andhumansdon’tgettogripewhenothersreceiveit.(MostChristians,itshouldshocknoonetosay,areprettybadatpracticingthis,whichwasJesus’swholepointinoneofhismostfamousparables,aboutaprodigalson.) O’Connorbelievedinthis,andforher,theuseofviolenceinstorieslike“AGoodManIsHardtoFind”wasawayofgrace.“Ihavefoundthatviolenceisstrangelycapableofreturningmycharacterstorealityandpreparingthemtoaccepttheirmomentofgrace,”sheoncesaidofthatstory.“Theirheadsaresohardthatalmostnothingelsewilldothework.” RaceisalsoacomplicatedmatterinO’Connor’swork,whichmakesperfectsenseforawhiteAmericanwriterlivingintheSouthandpublishingrightonthecuspofthecivilrightsmovement.In2009,HiltonAlswroteintheNewYorkeraboutthewaysO’Connor’swork’sconfrontedandconfoundedthenormsofherreaders: Herblackcharactersarenotsymbolsdefinedinoppositiontowhiteness;theyarethelivingpeoplewhowere,physicallyatleast,ontheperipheryofO’Connor’sownworld.ShewasnotromanticenoughtotakeFaulkner’sDilseyviewofblacks—asthefulcrumofintegrityandcompassion.Shedidn’tusethemasvesselsofsympathyorscorn;shesimply—andcomplexly—drewfromlife. “ForO’Connor,writingaboutintegrationwasawayofexposingthedangersofclingingtothefictionofpower,”Alslaternotes,whilepointingoutthatevenforallthat,shestruggledtoportrayblackpeopleofthesortswhodidn’tfallwithinherowncircles.“Luckily,sherarelytriedtocoverthisground—probablyaprudentdecision,giventhemurkyandnotaltogetherconstructiveworksofsomeofthewhiteliberalswhodid,”hewrites. ThatsortofthingscandalizedmanyinO’Connor’stimewhohadbackedawayfromwhatgracereallymightmeanfortheirwayoflifeinaproper,segregatedSouth.Andthatwassortofherpoint.Shemighthavebeenwritingtowhatshecalledthe“Christ-hauntedSouth,”butthatdidn’tmeantheysaweyetoeye.Asshefamouslywrote, Whenyoucanassumethatyouraudienceholdsthesamebeliefsyoudo,youcanrelaxandusemorenormalmeansoftalkingtoit;whenyouhavetoassumethatitdoesnot,thenyouhavetomakeyourvisionapparentbyshock—tothehardofhearingyoushout,andforthealmost-blindyoudrawlargeandstartlingfigures. IrewatchedThreeBillboardsafewmonthsafterfirstseeingit,andnowIthinkImayhavebeentoogeneroustowarditatfirstbyreadingitthroughO’Connor’slens.Ithinkitlacksherrounded-outvisionofhumansassubjectedtothedemandsofsomekindofdivinegrace. ThepurestvisionofgraceinthefilmisWilloughby,andevenhehashisflaws(especiallyaproclivitytooverlookorlaughoffthewrongdoingofsomeofhisofficers).Buthe’sanimperfectmanwholoveshisfamilyanddoesn’tseemtoholdgrudges,andmostanythingthat’sgoodinthefilmcomesfromeitherhimorhisinfluence.He,amanwho’sultimatelyverymortal,isthegracegiver,notGod.ThreeBillboards’viewoftheworldisessentiallyhumanist,withoutthepresenceofthedivine. Thatrendersitsfailuretograntitsblackcharactershumanityespeciallyglaring,andmeansthatDixon’smovealittleclosertothegoodbytheendofthefilmfeelsoff;there’snosenseofwrongbeingbroughtclosertosomethingliketheright.InMcDonagh’sviewoftheworld,wereceivemomentsofgraceonlyfromoneanother—aworthything,tobesure,onethateveryonecanaspiretodespitetheirowntheologicalcommitments,butonethatrequiresmoreearning.Andthatmayjustbewhatmanycriticsarereactingto:Theideaofredemptiononecanreadintheplotdoesn’tworkevenaccordingtothefilm’sownstandards. Idon’tmeantosuggestMartinMcDonagh(alapsedCatholic)hasnocommitmentsalongthelinesofO’Connor’s.Everyoneseestheworldthroughsometheologicallens,evenifit’sonedevoidofanytheos.Weallhavebeliefsaboutgoodandevil,moralandimmoral,sinandpunishmentandredemptionandallofthosethings. ButIhavecometosuspectthatastorylikeThreeBillboards—withitsintegrationofthegrotesquemodeandwhatIbelieveisnotmeanttobeanythinglikeredemption,butsomethingalotmorelikearesignationtohowmesseduptheworldis,howimpreciseandimpossiblejusticeis—onlyreallyworksverywellinsidethecontextofatheisticworld,withacosmicsenseofjusticederivedfromsomekindoftranscendentdivinity. IthinkMcDonaghhasitwithinhimselftonavigatethosemorehuman-centricstorytellingwaters.(Hepullsitoffmuchmoresuccessfully,withadeliciouslybentsenseofjustice,insomethinglikeInBrugesorhisplayTheBeautyQueenofLeenane.)Butifyou’regoingtodropsomanyclearcluesthatyou’reshootingforO’Connor’sterritory—andthenyou’regoingtograntyourultimatelybrokencharactershermomentsofgrace—youneedastrongersenseofwherethatgraceiscomingfrom,andastrongersense,too,ofthepeopleatwhoseexpenseitmightcome.McDonaghdoesn’tquitegetthere.AndthathamstringsThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,Missourifrombeingwhatitcouldhavemeantforthismoment. WillyousupportVox’sexplanatoryjournalism? MillionsturntoVoxtounderstandwhat’shappeninginthenews.Ourmissionhasneverbeenmorevitalthanitisinthismoment:toempowerthroughunderstanding.Financialcontributionsfromourreadersareacriticalpartofsupportingourresource-intensiveworkandhelpuskeepourjournalismfreeforall.PleaseconsidermakingacontributiontoVoxtoday. 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