Marty McDonagh’s banner effort, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, displays a unique coupling of relentless tragedy and dark comedy that elicits shameless laughs yet it remains aware of its context. And it happens that we somehow happily emerge from the film without agita.

With Mildred (McDormand), we never stray from the drawn eyes that caption a face fixed with unimaginable grief. The billboards are explicit and as succinct as she. Her apathy and indifference of personal consequence is the humor and sadness of the film and McDonagh does well to treat both equally. This polarity invites Willoughby (Harrelson) and Dixon (Rockwell) into the fray at opposing viewpoints. Willoughby, humble and nurturing, targeted by Mildred begets Dixon, arrogant and nurtured, to amplify his horrible policing.

In a crowded and stellar ensemble, Jerome (Britt-Gibson) presents with brevity and relevance and his initial interaction with Dixon sets the tone. Red’s (Jones) consequential kindness amongst the brouhaha struck a chord for it’s credibility. A single blip is the finger-snap transition of Dixon but this aspect drives the final act of the film.

It’s a provoking film with only a single billboard needed to showcase 4.02 napkins out of 5 for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MO.