She got killed and she’s dead forever.” Then she smiles. Because there ain’t no God and the whole world’s empty and it doesn’t matter what we do to each other? I hope not.” Mildred sits down and asks the doe, “How come you came up here outta nowhere looking so pretty? You ain’t trying to make me believe in reincarnation or something, are ya? ‘Cause you’re pretty, but you ain’t her. The doe looks up at the second billboard. A doe appears and Mildred is moved by the lovely animal. “You ain’t her.”Ībout halfway through the film, Mildred plants colorful flowers around the billboards, trying to beautify her controversial memorial to Angela. Mildred must blame herself for everything that happened that day, which makes moving on from the loss of her daughter even more challenging. MacDonagh’s choice to immediately end the flashback with Mildred’s nasty response to her daughter and cut to the mother looking into the dark, empty room signals the heaviness of regret of their last time together.
Lucas Hedges and Kathryn Newton as Mildred’s children, Robbie and Angela And you know what else? I hope I get raped on the way!” Mildred replies, “Well, I hope you get raped on the way, too.” She yells to her, “Why don’t you just walk Angela? Why don’t you just walk?” Her daughter yells back, “I will walk. Eventually, she refuses to let Angela use her car. Mildred is fighting with her two children, angry with them for various things.
Viewers are given a flashback of the day Angela died. Regret Over Last WordsĪfter several dramatic outbursts, some of them violent, Mildred looks in her daughter’s old room. However, MacDonagh reveals early in the film that much of the mother’s rage might stem from another place. Viewers may understand Mildred’s anger against her neighbors. This removes any chance of acceptance and closure viewers may wish for Mildred.Īngela’s mother takes out her rage on several characters in the movie, including a well-meaning priest and a dentist who underestimates Mildred’s resolve. Not only was her daughter killed, but the murderer has not been found. She is incredulous that they can move on as if nothing happened. This understanding is what leads Mildred to rage against her town. In truth, the people of Ebbing have gone on with their lives after the heinous crime committed against Mildred’s daughter, Angela. Mostly the townspeople don’t want to be bothered during their daily commute by the horrible circumstances of her daughter’s death. Some are upset that she blames Willoughby. Many in the town try to get her to take them down. This outward sign of her pain does more than ruffle a few feathers.
Mildred’s deep sorrow is evident to everyone who passes the road, as her accusations against Sheriff Willoughby are ablaze in red with black text. Frances McDormand in MacDonagh’s “Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri”