A beautiful film that succeeds in being darkly comic, dramatic, hopeful and shockingly sad. Three Billboards begins months after the rape and murder of Mildred Hayes’ (Francis McDormand) daughter. Frustrated at the lack of arrests she rents the titular billboards and challenges local law enforcement to do better. The films focus is on Mildred but there are a number of supporting players who are impacted in different ways and the writing and acting is so good as to make them as much a part of the story as Mildred.

Police Chief Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) bears the brunt of the billboard question, whilst his charge Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell) flies off the handle. Elsewhere Lucas Hedges plays Mildred’s depressed son, John Hawkes her potentially violent ex husband and Peter Dinklage an admirer. The acting is all round excellent, doing an exceptional job of balancing the humour and drama.

The films emotional centre and most rewarding stories are that of Mildred, Willoughby and Dixon though. And it’s hard to argue whether the moral is that there is always hope or that the world is a horrible place, ultimately though I think the film wants you to make your own mind up. I strongly suggest that you watch and find out what you think.