I suppose this is a good time to give the spoiler warning!!!! I'll be giving away big parts of the plot in this post so be warned!
We thoroughly enjoyed the movie. It was really brilliant! It really was the worthy winner of the BAFTA Best Movie Award. The Academy Award winning performances from Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell were pretty good (not as good as some other Oscar winning performances, though, IMHO).
But not just them - the entire cast played their parts brilliantly. Woody Harrelson was better than his usual dependable performance and deserved all the nominations for best supporting actor.
The cast also won the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. Samara Weaving stole the show at times with her portrayal of a dumb blonde that was utterly hilarious.
The writing was so good - drama and comedy. I really liked how the story went. It was not predictable and it did not have a conventional ending. My wife said that at the end of the day, the movie belonged to Sam Rockwell's character.
I really liked how his character developed - i really hated him, and then i really felt for him.
To me, this was a story of giving people second chances, of not judging too quickly.
Sam Rockwell's character, Jason Dixon, was totally unlikable. To me, anyway. I was cheering away inside when he appeared to get what he deserved and was sacked from the police force. But the movie showed that he can change.
The turning point was when Woody Harrelson's character wrote him a letter. Here is the contents:-
Jason, Willoughby here. I'm dead now, sorry about that. There's something I wanted to say to you that I never really said when I was alive. I think you've got the makings of being a really good cop, Jason, and you know why? Because, deep down, you're a decent man. I know you don't think I think that, but I do, dipshit. I do think you're too angry though, and I know it's all since your dad died and you had to go look after your mom and all, but as long as you hold on to so much hate, then I don't think you're ever going to become, what I know you want to become - a detective. 'Cause you know what you need to become a detective? And I know you're gonna wince when I say this, but what you need to become a detective is love.
Because through love comes calm, and through calm comes thought. And you need thought to detect stuff sometimes, Jason. It's kinda all you need. You don't even need a gun. And you definitely don't need hate. Hate never solved nothing, but calm did. And thought did. Try it. Try it just for a change. No one'll think you're gay. And if they do, arrest 'em for homophobia! Won't they be surprised! Good luck to you, Jason. You're a decent man, and yeah you've had a run of bad luck, but things are gonna change for you. I can feel it.
If this was a true story, Dixon was really fortunate to have someone like Willoughby to look over him, to see through the hate, to understand and realise the potential and to make the effort to help him change.
Many people are like him - decent but have had a 'run of bad luck'. They need love to be able to show love.
And he did change. And he did forgive. And he did ask for forgiveness.
So although we never get to find out who the murderer(s) is, that was not the point of the show, i guess. It was great to see Dixon and Hayes ride off together as friends despite all that had happened.
Yeah, all we need is love!
(Pics obtained from various places online)
*Their classic brilliant song. Love it!!!
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