Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) - full transcript

You Red Welby?

Yes, ma'am.
How may I help you?

I hear those three billboards
out on Drinkwater Road,

you're in charge of renting 'em out,
that right?

I didn't know we had any billboards
out on Drinkwater Roa...

- where is Drinkwater Road?
- It's the road out past Sizemore turn-off.

Nobody uses it
since the freeway got put in.

You're right.

We got three billboards
out there.

Nobody's put nothing up
out there since 1986.

That was Huggies.

How much to rent all three
of them out for the year?

A year?

You wanna pay for three billboards
on a road that no one goes down

unless they got lost
or they're retards...

- for a year?
- Quick, ain't you, Welby?

Well...

since what I say goes these days

down at the Ebbing Advertising Desk,

I'm gonna strike you
a real good deal on those billboards.

Now, what was it your name was, Missus...

What's the law on what you can
and cannot say on a billboard?

I assume you can't say nothing defamatory,

and you can't say "fuck,"
"piss," or "cunt." That right?

Uh...

Or...

"anus."

Well, I think I'll be all right then.

Here's 5,000 for the first month.

I assume that'll cover it.

And here's what the billboards are to say.

Why don't you write up a contract
betwixt us while you're at it,

make sure nobody rents them
billboards out from under me.

I guess you're
Angela Hayes's mother.

That's right.
I'm Angela Hayes's mother.

Name's Mildred.

How long before you get 'em put up?

Shall we say by...

Easter Sunday?

That'd be perfect.

- Hey, what the hell is this?
- Que?

"How come,
Chief Willoughby" what?

- What?
- Yeah.

- Huh?
- "How come" what?

- What, what?
- What?

Listen, you fucking beaner,
I'd better start getting

some straight answers outta you.

Put that down.

What the hell is this?

Hey, you.
What the fuck is this?

What the fuck is what?

This! This.

- Advertising, I guess.
- Advertising what?

Something obscure?

I'll say. Yeah.

Don't I know your face
from some place?

- I don't know, do you?
- Yeah. Yeah, I do.

I could arrest you right now
if I wanted to.

- For what?
- For emptying your bucket there.

That's... that's against the...

being bad against the environment laws.

Well, before you do that,
Officer Dixon...

how about you go have yourself a look
at that first billboard over there?

And then we can have ourself
a conversation

about the motherfucking environment.

How about that?

Fuck me.

Don't, William.

Dixon, you goddamn asshole.

I'm in the middle
of my goddamn Easter dinner.

Sorry, kids.

I know, Chief,

and I'm sorry for calling you
at home and all, but...

I think we got kind of a problem.

Hey.

Sorry I'm late, Denise.

Did you put up those billboards
to fuck with the cops yet?

They're up.

You go, girl.
You go fuck those cops up.

What the fuck
do you think you're doing, Welby,

a bunch of billboards like that?

You didn't think there'd be
some kind of ramifications, legally?

What's the legal ramifications, Cedric?

You want me to explain
legal ramifications,

little punk like you?
And don't call me Cedric!

Ain't contravening no laws on propriety.

Ain't contravening no laws
on any fucking thing.

I checked all this out.

And where'd you check all this out?

In a...

- a book.
- Which book, genius?

Book called Suck My Ass,
It's None Of Your Business.

Fuck.

How long has this person, or persons,

rented these
billboards out for?

Oh... the year.

How long has she actually paid for?

The year.

So it's a "she," is it?

I ain't at liberty to divulge
that kind of information, Chief.

Mildred Hayes, perhaps?

Ain't at liberty to divulge
that kind of information, Chief.

Do you really wanna fuck

with the Ebbing Police Department, Red?

Do you?

I guess.

He said what? To your face?

No crime has been committed here.

Oh, come on.
Defamation of character ain't a crime?

It isn't defamation
if she's simply asking a question.

What are you, an idiot?

Don't call me an idiot, Dixon!

I didn't call you an idiot.

I asked if you was an idiot.
That was a question.

- He got you there, Cedric.
- That's it? Come on, man!

Hey! Don't go flying off the handle.

Why in the hell you keep that man on?

He's a good man at heart.

He tortured a guy in custody, Bill.

There was no...
real evidence to support that.

Take 'em down.

- Huh?
- Take that shit down.

Take what shit down?

Hey, boy. You think I wouldn't take
you out right here on Main Street, Red?

I thought you only took out
black dudes, Dixon.

No! No! Stop it.

You ever fucking touch me,
motherfucker...

You drunk?

- Are you drunk right now?
- Get up.

Nobody ever goes down that road anyways.

Unless they got lost. Or they're retards.

Well, don't be nervous,
is the main thing.

It'll go just fine.

Don't look in the camera, obviously.

Let's hold for this car.

In three, two, one.

So, Mildred Hayes,
why did you put up these billboards?

My daughter, Angela,

was abducted, raped and murdered
seven months ago

along this selfsame stretch of road.

What you watching, Momma?
Stupid news?

It seems to me the local police department

is too busy going around
torturing black folks

to be bothered doing anything
about solving actual crime.

I thought these billboards
might concentrate their minds some.

Fuck.

I don't know what the
police are doing, to be honest with you.

I do know that my daughter's burnt body
is lying six feet underground.

All they're doing is eating Krispy Kremes

and busting eight-year-olds
for skating around parking lots.

And Chief Willoughby,

why single him out?

He's the head of them, ain't he?

The buck's gotta stop somewhere.

And the buck stops at Willoughby?

Yeah, the buck stops at Willoughby.

Dead right it does.

You all right there, fella?

Looks like we got a war on our hands.

Can we talk?

I'd do anything to catch the guy
who did it, Mrs. Hayes.

But when the DNA don't match
no one who's ever been arrested,

and when the DNA don't match
any other crime nationwide,

and when there wasn't a single eyewitness

from the time she'd left your house
to the time we found her, well...

right now there ain't
too much more we can do.

Could pull blood
from every man and boy in this town

over the age of eight.

There's civil rights laws
prevents that, Mrs. Hayes.

And what if he was
just passing through town?

Pull blood from every man
in the country, then.

Then what if he was just passing
through the country?

If it was me,
I'd start up a database.

Every male baby what's born,
stick them on it,

and as soon as he done something wrong,

cross-reference it,

make 100% certain it was
a correct match,

then kill him.

Yeah, well, there's...

definitely civil rights laws
prevents that.

Ah.

I'm doing everything I can
to track him down.

I don't think those billboards
is very fair.

The time it took you to get out here
whining like a bitch, Willoughby,

some other poor girl's probably
out there being butchered right now.

But I'm glad you got your priorities
straight, I'll say that for you.

There's something else, Mildred.

I got cancer.

- I'm dying.
- I know it.

Huh?

I know it.
Most everybody in town knows it.

And you still put up those billboards?

Well, they wouldn't be
as effective after you croak. Right?

Well, looky looky.

If it ain't the instigator of this whole
goddamn affair in the first place.

I didn't instigate shit, Dixon.

Playing pool against the town midget.

He's right, Red,

you are playing pool
against the town midget.

You know, he's a cop.
You know, he's observant.

I always disliked you, Red,

ever since you was a snotty little child.

You still look like a snotty little child.

That's unfortunate.
I always thought you was great.

Even your name, Red Welby.

- Even your name I disliked.
- Well...

okay.

Like you was some kind
of goddamn communist or something...

- and proud of it.
- No, it's 'cause I got red hair.

You know what they do to faggots
down in Cuba, Welby?

Wow, that's left field.

No, what do they do to faggots
down in Cuba, Dixon?

They kill 'em.

Which, it might surprise you
to learn, I'm against.

I'm not sure if they do kill faggots
down in Cuba, Dixon.

I know Cuba's human rights
record's pretty deplorable

when it comes to homosexuality,

but killing 'em?

Are you sure
you ain't thinking of Wyoming?

Always with the smart-ass. Jesus.

He's quite good, isn't he?

Hey, Willoughby's a good man.
Hey, look at me. Hey, look at me.

I'm talking nice to you now, aren't I?

I'm talking nice to you.

Willoughby's a good man, Red.

Shouldn't have this be
the only thing he thinks about,

last months left to him.

Last months what?

Oh, you...

you didn't know?

Yeah, pancre... pancreatic.

I'm up next.
You old ladies quit yakking.

- Rude.
- Hey, Mildred.

I saw you on TV the other day.

- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah, you looked good.

I mean, you know,
you came across really good

in the things
that you were saying.

I didn't think
you came across real good.

I think you sounded...
you came across as a stupid-ass.

Ain't it about time you got home
to your momma, Dixon?

No, it ain't time I go home
to my mama... momma.

I told her I was gonna be out
till 12:00, actually.

Jesus.

That's me versus you, Mildred.

Hey, Robbie. I think
that midget wants to get in my pants.

Father Montgomery.

Mildred. I'm... I'm sorry to be calling
on you so late, but, uh...

I must say, Robbie has been
the consummate host.

Despite his having had,
as he was just telling me,

somewhat of a tricky day at school.

Oh, no. Just some of the guys
on the team was giving me crap.

Crap about what?

About the billboards, Mildred.

Which is what I've come
to have a word with you about.

Oh. Proceed.

I know how hard
it's been for you, Mildred,

this past year. We all do.

And if there is
ever anything that you need,

we will be there for you. Always.

But the town also knows

what kind of a man
William Willoughby is.

And the town is dead set
against these billboards of yours.

Took a poll, did you, Father?

You know, Mildred,
if you hadn't stopped coming to church,

you'd have a little bit more understanding

of the depth of people's feelings.

I had more than a dozen people
come up to me on Sunday.

So, yes, I took a poll.

Everybody is with you about Angela.

Nobody is with you about this.

You know what I was thinking about today?

I was thinking about those street gangs

they have down in Los Angeles,

those Crips and those Bloods.

And I was thinking
about that bunch of new laws

they came up with
in the 1980s, I think it was,

to combat those street gangs,
those Crips and those Bloods.

And, if I remember rightly, the gist
of what those new laws were saying was,

if you join one of these gangs,
and you're running with them,

and down the block one night,
unbeknownst to you,

one of your fellow Crips,
or your fellow Bloods,

shoot up a place, or stab a guy...

well then, even though
you may not know nothing about it

and even though you may have
just been standing on a street corner,

minding your own business...

What these new laws said was
you're still culpable.

You're still culpable
by the very act of having joined

those Crips and those Bloods
in the first place.

Which got me thinking, Father...

that whole type of situation

is kinda like you church boys, ain't it?

You got your colors,
you got your clubhouse.

You're, for want
of a better word, a gang.

And if you were upstairs
smoking a pipe and reading your Bible...

while one
of your fellow gang members

is downstairs fucking
an altar boy, well...

Father, just like those Crips,
and just like those Bloods,

you're culpable...

'cause you joined the gang, man.

I don't care if you never did shit,

you never saw shit,
you never heard shit.

You join the gang,
you're culpable.

And when a person is culpable
to altar-boy-fucking,

or any kinda boy-fucking,

'cause I know you guys didn't
really narrow that down...

then you kinda forfeit the right
to come into my house

and say anything about me or my life,

or my daughter, or my billboards.

So why don't you just finish up
your tea there, Father,

and get the fuck
outta my kitchen.

But thanks for coming up anyway, Father.

How you been feeling, Bill?

Ah, like I got cancer in a major organ.

Well, I just want you to know
we're all on your side

about this
Mildred Hayes thing.

If I have to hear that
one more fucking time...

I'm done with this shit.
I can't waste my life waiting.

Stop reading
fucking comic books

and get me the file
on the Hayes case.

Angela Hayes case
or the Mildred Hayes case?

There is no Mildred Hayes case.

We've had two official complaints

about those billboards, so, actually...

From who?

There's a lady with a funny eye...

and a fat dentist.

Get me the file
on the Angela Hayes case.

"A lady with a funny fucking eye"?

Jesus Christ.

Late night?

No.

Lay off that Welby guy, will you?

Or you'll do what?

Kick your momma's
fucking teeth in.

No, you won't.

Who told you I was laying
on him anyway? The midget?

What the fuck are you talking about?

And I'm trying to fucking concentrate.

Fucking midgets!

What you looking for anyway?

There's nothing to look for.

I don't know what it is.

It feels like
it's kinda waggling.

Well, if it's waggling,
it's gonna have to come out.

Ain't you gonna
take a look at it first?

It's gonna have to come out.

Can I get a little Novocaine there, Doc?

Give it a couple of minutes.

I just wanted to say
there's a lot of good friends

of Bill Willoughby in this town,
Miss Hayes.

No! Ow! Stop! No!

God damn it!

Then why don't you tell
those good friends of Bill Willoughby

to tell him to go
do his fucking job, fat boy.

Hey there, Mildred.

You didn't happen to pay a visit

to the dentist today, did you?

- No.
- Huh?

I said, "No."

Oh, so it wasn't you
who drilled a little hole

in one of big fat Geoffrey's
big fat thumbnails, no?

- Of course not.
- Huh?

I said, "Of course not."

You drilled a hole in the dentist?

Denise, no, I didn't.

I thought
it was kinda funny myself, but...

he wants to press charges,

so we're gonna have
to bring you in, I'm afraid.

So how's it all going
in the nigger-torturing business, Dixon?

It's persons-of-color-torturing business,
these days.

If you wanna know...

I didn't torture nobody.

What's the matter with you,
saying that goddamn stuff on TV?

My momma watches that station.

Your momma doesn't know
about the torturing?

No, she doesn't know anything about it.
She's against that kinda thing.

Who's against what?

My mama... momma is against
persons-of-color-torturing.

She said, "Nigger-torturing."

I said, "You can't say
'nigger-torturing' no more.

"You gotta say
persons-of-color-torturing."

Isn't that right, Chief?

Ain't that right?

I think I'll be able
to take care of Mrs. Hayes

on my own from here on, Jason.

Sure, Chief. I'll be right outside.

Don't give me that look.

If you got rid of every cop
with vaguely racist leanings,

you'd have... three cops left,

and all of them
are gonna hate the fags.

So what are you gonna do,
you know?

I wanna know something, Mildred.

Why'd you drill a hole

through poor fat Geoffrey's thumbnail?

That did not happen.

His hand slipped.

He drilled a hole
through his own self.

Did he say I did it?

I guess
it's his word against mine, then, huh?

Kinda like in all those rape cases
you hear about.

Except, this time,
the chick ain't losing.

It ain't really about winning
or losing, though, is it, Mildred?

You think I care about who wins or loses
between the two of youse?

You think
I care about dentists?

I don't care about dentists.

Nobody cares about dentists.

What I do care about, or what I'm...

interested in...

is tying you up in court so long

that your hours at the gift shop
be so shot to shit

that you ain't gonna have a penny

to pay for another month's billboards.

- I got some dough put...
- That's what I'm interested in.

I got some dough put away.

But what I heard was you had to sell off
your ex-husband's tractor-trailer

to even pay for this month's
billboards, that right?

How is old Charlie, by the way?

He still shacked up with that pretty
little intern works down at the zoo?

He's still shacked up
with some chick smells of shit.

I don't know if the zoo's
got anything to do with it.

Although I'd hope so.

How old is she? Nineteen?

That must smart.

Keep trying. Keep trying.

What's Charlie think about
these here billboards of yours,

an ex-cop like Charlie?

Ex-cop, ex-wife-beater.
Same difference, I guess, right?

His word against yours,
though, right?

Charlie don't know about 'em, does he?

It's none of his business.

Well, he's kinda paying for 'em,
though, ain't he?

- I'm paying for 'em!
- This month you are.

How about when...

- I... I didn't mean to...
- I know.

- It was an accident.
- I know, baby.

It's blood.

I'm gonna go get somebody.

Hey!

- Just let her go.
- Come on, Chief.

Just let her go!

Easy, easy, easy.

Hey.

- Do birds get cancer?
- Huh?

- Birds. Do they get cancer?
- I don't know. Dogs do.

Yeah, well, I wasn't talking
about dogs, was I?

Great, the good old
"Raped While Dying" route home.

'Cause if there was two seconds in a day

when I wasn't thinking about her
and I wasn't thinking about how she died,

"There you go! Think about it
some more, why don't you?"

It's good too, that as much
as a person might have tried

to avoid the details of what happened

'cause he didn't think
it would do any good,

and he didn't think he could bear it...

it's also good to be informed

in 20-foot-high font
and in real nice lettering

the precise details of her last moments.

That it wasn't enough that she was raped

and it wasn't enough that she died, no.

"Raped While Dying."

Thank you, Mom.

I gave you the police reports.

I didn't read 'em.

I'm depressed enough as it fucking is.

Mom?

Yeah?

You ain't going out
again tonight, are ya?

Denise and I are gonna
grab a couple of beers, yeah.

Denise gonna be driving you?

Angela, Why don't you just ask me
if you can borrow the car?

- Can I borrow the car?
- No.

- Bitch!
- I will give you money for a taxi

if you ask me nice
and don't call me a bitch.

Why'd you make me ask you
if you was never gonna let me borrow it?

'Cause it was funny! And because
you've been smoking pot all day.

- You are such a hypocrite.
- Hypocrite?

- Yeah.
- How?

You drove drunk with us
in the car when we were kids.

- What are you talking about?
- Daddy told me.

- When'd you see him?
- Don't change the subject.

Did you or did you not drive drunk with us
in the car when we were kids?

- Once, maybe.
- Okay, once?

When he was in the middle
of beating the shit out of me.

- Which we've only got your word about!
- Angela, for Christ sakes.

Why are you never on my side, Robbie?

I'm always on your side
when you're not being a cunt!

- Hey!
- There will be no more "cunts"

- in this house. You got that, mister?
- What, are you moving out?

It was a ga...
it's a ga... it was a gag.

Are you gonna let me
borrow the car or what?

Why don't you just walk, Angela?
Why don't you just walk?

You know what? I will walk.

I will walk! And you know what else?

- I hope I get raped on the way!
- Yeah, well, I hope

you get raped on the way too!

We're gonna need to keep you
in a few days, Bill.

You shouldn't be
coughing up blood.

Yeah. Kinda guessed that, Doc.

I'll swing by in the morning.

Anne.

I guess I'll go
get your coat, huh?

Well, you know
I ain't staying.

You know I ain't arguing.

Oops.

You old cunt.

I'm not old, Robbie.

That's Dad.

Hey, Dad. How's it going?

Where's the crazy lady?

Kid's got Rice fucking Krispies
in his fucking hair.

What's going on around here?

And What the fuck is going on
with these fucking billboards, Mildred?

Kinda self-explanatory.

Well, why don't you just explain it to me?

Guess it ain't self-explanatory, then.

Well, you know, I guess
I wanted certain people's minds

kept on certain people's jobs, is all.

I hadn't heard from them
in seven goddamn months.

I tell you this,
I've heard an awful lot from them

since I put them
billboards up.

You think this has focused
their minds? Mmm?

I'll tell you what
it's focused their minds on.

It's focused their minds on
how exactly are they gonna fuck you up.

The more you keep a case
in the public eye,

the better your chances
are of getting it solved.

It's in all the guidebooks, Charlie.

How much these billboards cost?

About the same
as a tractor-trailer.

- What the fuck are you laughing at?
- Nothing.

Laughed at by a guy
with fucking cereal in his hair.

- How's Penelope?
- Huh? She's all right.

Why don't you invite her in?

Save leaving her sitting out there.

- She here?
- She's out in the car.

Oh, that explains it.

- That explains what?
- I know I smelt something.

Let her go!

Oh! Um, I kinda need
to use the bathroom,

but if it's inconvenient...
actually, it is inconvenient, isn't it?

I can see it's inconvenient.
I can hold it. It's all right.

It's the first door down the hall.

Are you sure?
I feel like I'm... intruding.

- Just go pee.
- Oh.

Look, you said what you came to say,

so why don't you go get zoo girl

and get the hell
out of my house, all right?

Um, actually, zoo-wise, they were
letting people go at the zoo,

unfortunately, and it was a case
of "last in, first out,"

so yeah, unfortunately,
the zoo had to let me go.

But they were looking for people down
at the horse rides for the disableds

to look after the horses down there.

So I'm working down there now,
looking after the disableds' horses.

- Don't say a word.
- I wasn't gonna say a word.

You don't think I don't wish
it had never happened?

You don't think I don't wish
she was still here?

I know you do.

I know you do.

Billboards ain't gonna
bring her back, Mildred.

Neither is fucking 19-year-olds, Charlie.

Yeah?

But I know that.

Just go.

Yeah, all right.

I'm such a shitty dad,
and you're such a great mom. All right.

So how come a week before she died

she comes around asking if she can
move in with me at my place?

'Cause she couldn't stand the two of you
bitching at each other no more,

- fighting with each other no more.
- I don't believe you.

And I said, "No. Stay at home.
Your mom loves you."

Now I wish I hadn't.

'Cause if I hadn't,
she'd still fucking be here.

I don't believe you!

Don't believe me.

Ask Froot Loop boy.

Is that true?

I don't know, Mom.

Yeah, you do.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

Oh, come on,
not Donald Sutherland again.

What is this, frickin'
Donald Sutherland season?

I like him. I like his hair.

Hair?

This is the one
where his little girl dies.

Always a plus in a movie.

Talking of dead kids,

what's happening with the billboard lady?

Oh, that kooz won't listen to reason.

She's tough as an old boot.

Oh.

Why don't you just fuck her over
through her friends then?

Huh?

You know, why don't you
fuck her friends over?

Bring her around that way.

She got any friends you can fuck over?

Rat bastards.

- Hey, fuckhead!
- What?

Don't say, "What," Dixon,
when she comes in calling you a fuckhead!

- And don't you come in here...
- Shut up!

You, get over here.

No! You, get over here.

- All right.
- What? Don't! Dixon!

- What?
- You do not allow a member of the public

to call you a fuckhead
in the station house!

That's what I'm doing!
I'm taking care of it

in my own way, actually.
Now get out of my ass.

Mrs. Hayes, have a seat.
What is it I can do for you today?

- Where's Denise Watson?
- Denise Watson's in the clanger.

- On what charge?
- Possession.

- Of what?
- Two marijuana cigarettes.

Big ones.

- When's the bail hearing?
- I asked the judge not to give her bail

on account of her previous
marijuana violations,

and the judge said, "Sure."

You fucking prick!

You do not call an officer
of the law a fucking prick

in his own station house,
Mrs. Hayes.

Or anywhere, actually.

What's with the new attitude, Dixon?

Your momma been coaching ya?

No.

My momma...

doesn't do that.

Take them down, you hear me?

You did good, Dixon.

Yeah, I know I did.

Almost got that.

The rules here are twofold.

No kid can leave
this goddamn blanket

at any goddamn time.

And every single one

of these dolls
and these teddy bears

has got to be hooked up.

Now, your momma and I,

although it won't look like it,

we'll be watching every
goddamn move you make.

So the most important thing
while we are watching you

is that you do not
leave this blanket.

Next most important thing,
you do not at any stage

allow the fishing rods

to stick into you
or your sister's eyeballs,

as this would be
counter-productive

to the entire operation.

What would it be?

Counter-productive
to the entire operation.

Then, troops...

start fishing.

We are not.

We are.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Hey, baby.

Yup, still no arrests.

How come, I wonder?

Because there ain't no God,
the whole world's empty,

and it doesn't matter
what we do to each other?

I hope not.

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.

She got killed...

and now she's dead forever.

I do thank you
for coming though.

If I had some food
I'd give it to you.

All I got is some Doritos,

and they might kill you.
They're kind of pointy.

Then where would we be?

Yeah, so I, uh,
just happened to be looking

over our contract
that we drew up back that time.

What I realized was I...

I realized that
although payment is to be made

on the first day
of each month,

the first payment you paid
was actually a deposit.

Wasn't it? It's like we said.

So, actually, in point of fact,

you're actually behind
in your payments now,

by, yeah, a month.

Yeah, that's, uh...

It's what the contract says,
looking over it and all.

Lawyer says so too.

When you need this next payment by, Red?

Well, now, really.

Or by... uh...

- Friday?
- Wow.

When you can't trust the lawyers
and the advertising men,

what the hell's America coming to, huh?

Who got to you, Red?

Willoughby?

- Nobody got to me.
- My fat fucking ass.

- He's dying, Mildred.
- We're all fucking dying!

- Red!
- Hi, Pamela. We're a little bit busy

- at the moment, if that's okay.
- Red. Oh, Red, I know...

I know you were real anxious
about talking to Mrs. Hayes this morning.

Anxious? No.

No, but that's the thing. There's no need
to be, because you won't believe it!

Little Mexican delivery boy
just dropped in with this.

- What the hell is this?
- I know!

It's $5,000!
And guess what the note says?

It says to pay for the rental
on Mrs. Hayes's billboards.

Can you believe it?
That's why I butted in.

- Well, who's it from?
- Well, doesn't say.

Well, where's the delivery boy?

Well, he went.

Well, did you see
what company he was from?

- Well, no.
- What kind of uniform did he have on?

Well, he just looked like one
of those fat little Mexican boys.

On a bicycle.

Oh.

- Did I do something wrong?
- No, no, Pam, you did good.

Yeah, Pamela, you did real good.

Did I? Oh, great.

Ain't life crazy?

What's the note say, Red?

Says here, "This here money is
to go towards the fund

"for Mildred Hayes's billboards,

"'cause she ain't
the only one 'round here

"who hates the pigs.
Signed, a friend."

I guess you can't be too picky about who
your friends are these days, huh?

Uh-huh, um...

I guess I'll be needing
a receipt off you there, Red,

you know, saying the price of next month

is paid in full and all.

Oh, sure, Mildred, sure.

- Like now.
- Oh, sure.

Is Mommy drunk, Daddy?

No, no. She's just got
a little migraine, is all.

Little... Chardonnay migraine.

Now, no more chit-chat
outta you two, okay?

Can we stay home from school
again tomorrow, Daddy?

We'll see what your mommy
says in the morning, darling.

Aw!

Eyes closed...

and go to sleep, okay?

You don't smell like puke,
which is good.

Aquafresh. Trick I learned.

Women, huh?

But it's still your turn
to clean the horseshit

outta the stable, you know.

Those fucking horses.

They're your fucking horses.

I'm gonna have those
fucking horses shot!

I'll do it...
you lazy bitch.

Thank you, Poppa.

That was a real nice day.

That was a real nice fuck.

You got a real nice cock,
Mr. Willoughby.

Is that from a play?

"You got a real nice cock,
Mr. Willoughby."

I think I heard that
in a Shakespeare one time.

You dummy.

It's Oscar Wilde.

Ah.

Oscar Wilde.

My darling Anne,

there's a longer letter
in the dresser drawer

I've been writing
for the last week or so.

That one covers us
and my memories of us

and how much I've always loved you.

This one just covers tonight,
and more importantly, today.

Tonight I've gone out
to the horses to end it.

I cannot say sorry for the act itself,

although I know that for a short time

you will be angry at me
or even hate me for it.

Please don't.

This is not a case of,
"I came in this world alone

"and I'm going
out of it alone,"

or anything dumb like that.

I did not come in this world alone,

my mom was there.

And I am not going out of it alone,

'cause you are there,

drunk on the couch,
making Oscar Wilde cockjokes.

No, this is a case,
in some senses, of bravery.

Not the bravery
of facing a bullet down.

The next few months of pain

would be far harder
than that small flash.

No, it's the bravery
of weighing up

the next few months
of still being with you...

still waking up with you,
of playing with the kids...

against the next few months
of seeing in your eyes

how much my pain
is killing you,

how my weakened body,
as it ebbs away,

and you tend to it,

are your final and lasting memories of me.

I won't have that.

Your final memories of me
will be us at the riverside

and that dumb fishing game,
which I think they cheated at...

and me inside of you
and you on top of me...

and barely a fleeting thought
of the darkness yet to come.

That was the best, Anne.

A whole day of not thinking about it.

Dwell on this day, baby,

'cause it was the best day of my life.

Kiss the girls for me,

and know that I've always loved you,

and maybe I'll see you again
if there's another place.

And if there ain't, well,
it's been heaven knowing you.

Your boy...

Bill.

What the hell's going on around here?

What?

Can you stand now?

Yeah, I can stand.

I'd better get out there...

say something to 'em.

You ain't gonna faint again, are ya?

I know that the best thing...

the only thing to honor
that man's memory right now

is to go to work...

is to be a...

a good cop...

to walk in his shoes...

and do what he did
every day of his life.

Help people.

What the hell's going on?

Where are you going, boy?

You fucking pig!
What the fuck are you...

Shut up.

See, Red, I got issues
with white folks too.

Fuck you looking at?

Reports, sadly, have come in overnight,

that Chief William Willoughby
of Ebbing, Missouri,

took his own life
early this morning

in the grounds of his home.

This reportjust in
from Gabriella Forrester.

Tragedy came calling today

upon this quiet family home
outside Ebbing, Missouri.

A home belonging
to Chief William Willoughby,

his wife, Anne, their two
young daughters, Polly and Jane.

What appears to be
a self-inflicted gunshot wound

brought life to an end
for Chief Willoughby,

a man highly-respected in Ebbing

for his diligence
and service to the community.

What led him to take his life

in the early hours of this morning,

it is too early to speculate.

There were rumors of illness.

Could it simply have been
the pressures of the job?

Or could it have something
to do with a story

we ran here just two weeks ago

of these billboards and the woman
who put them there, Mildred Hayes?

Don't. Don't!

Hi, there.

- You know who threw that can?
- What can?

How about you, sweetheart?
You know who threw that can?

Uh, no, I didn't really...

Thank you, Mom.

And what can I do for you today, sir?

What's your name?

Name's on my tag, man.
You hard of reading?

Hard of reading? No, no.

That's good, "hard of reading."

Kinda like "hard of hearing,"

but it's actually "hard of reading."

Like a play on words
or something, huh?

What do you want?

I've been sent down to take over from...

Chief Willoughby in light
of last night's unfortunate event.

You have got to be
fucking kidding me!

Do you have
any documentation to prove that, sir?

You really wanna see
my documentation, fucker?

Yeah, see his documentation!
Make him show it to you.

None of you cracker motherfuckers
got no work to do?

Ain't that racist?

What happened to your hand,
Officer Dixon?

Oh, I just kinda...

banged it up a little bit

while I was throwing some guy
out a fucking window.

- You know, the usual.
- Oh yeah?

They never taught me
that one at the academy.

Which fucking academy you go to?

How are things
coming along on that Angela Hayes case?

How's things coming along on
the mind-your-own-fucking-business case?

How are things coming along

on the hand me your gun and your badge?

What? Huh?

Hand me your gun and your badge.

Shit.

In here somewhere.

Hey, listen, I can't find my badge.

No, seriously. Maybe I lost it.

You know, dropped it
when I was doing that window guy.

Just get the fuck
out of my station house, man.

What's going on?

I think I...

I think I just got fired.

Fired or suspended,
I'm not sure which.

Fired.

Anything I can help you with,
just give me a holler.

Give Mildred Hayes...

a holler.

Okay.

You know me?

Only from the TV... and the radio.

How much these here
"Welcome to Missouri" rabbits go for?

Seven bucks.

It's writ right on them.

Guess he ain't seven bucks now.

What you come in here for?

What I come in here for?

Well, maybe I'm a good friend
of Willoughby's. How about that?

Are you?

Or, you know...

Maybe I was a friend of
your daughter or something.

How about that?

Were you?

Or, uh...

You know, maybe I was the one

who fucked her
while she was dying.

How about that?

Were you?

No.

I would have liked to.

I saw her picture in the paper there.

Saved by the bell, huh?

You owe me seven fucking
dollars for the rabbit.

Guess you'll have to get it off me next
time I'm passing through, huh, Mildred?

Guess I will.

You don't know how glad I am to see you.

- What?
- That guy was trying to scare me.

I wouldn't have said you scare easy.

I ain't the worst.

What can I do for you, ma'am?

My husband left this for you

before he shot himself
in the head last night.

- I'm sorry, Mrs. Willoughby. I...
- Are you?

- Are you really?
- Sure, I am.

Well, surely this is
the perfect ending for you, isn't it?

It's proof that they were successful,
those billboards of yours,

isn't it? A dead policeman?

- It's quantifiable now.
- Are you blaming this on me?

No.

I'm not blaming this on you.

I just came
to give you the letter.

Now my little girls are out in the car,

so I'd better not stay and chat.

I'm not quite sure what
we're gonna do for the rest of the day.

It's hard to know what to do

the day your husband kills himself.

It's hard to know what to do.

Dear Mildred...

Dead Man Willoughby here.

Firstly, I wanted to apologize for dying

without catching your daughter's killer.

It's a source of great pain to me,

and it would break my heart to think

you thought I didn't care,
'cause I did care.

There are just some cases...

where you never catch a break...

then five years down the line

some guy hears some other guy

bragging about it
in a bar room or a jail cell

and the whole thing is wrapped up

through sheer stupidity.

I hope that might be true for Angela.
I really do.

Second, I gotta admit, Mildred,

the billboards were a great fucking idea.

They were like a chess move.

And although they had absolutely nothing

to do with my dying...

I'm sure that everyone in town

will assume that they did,

which is why,
for Willoughby's counter-move,

I decided to pay
the next month's rent on 'em.

I thought it'd be funny,
you having to defend 'em

a whole nother month
after they've stuck me in the ground.

The joke is on you, Mildred, ha ha,

and I hope they do not kill you.

So good luck with all that,

and good luck with everything else too.

I hope and I pray that you get him.

Well, you want me
to go down and talk to 'em?

No, I don't want you
to go down and talk to 'em.

Somebody sending their goddamn mother

down to talk to the goddamn police?

To say what?

To say to give you
your job back.

Get rid of that black guy.

Ain't gonna listen to some guy's mother

asking them to get rid of some black guy.

Things have moved on in the South.

Well, it shouldn't have!

Will they give you some money
for being laid off and all?

I don't know what
the compensation scheme is

for when you throw a guy
out of a window, Ma.

Guess I should have looked
into that beforehand.

Let me Google that.

A couple of grand, maybe?

You been there three years.

Not counting the five years
at the academy.

Six...

if you count the year
you were held back.

Where are you going?

None of your business.

Off to see your fancy woman?

- I don't got a fancy woman.
- Yeah. I know.

Hey. You wanna watch yourself.

Or-or... or you'll do what?

I'll blow your goddamn head off,
that's what.

Oh, did you hear the news?

What news?

That Dixon guy threw that Welby guy

out of his window this morning.

You're shitting me.

Is he okay?

Mmm-mmm.

- You're shitting me!
- Whoa!

Holy shit! Holy shit!

Holy shit!

Fuck!

Go get the other one from the house.

Shouldn't I call the fire department?

Fuck the fire department.
They probably started it.

Don't do anything stupid!

Scumbags!

Fucking, fucking scumbags!

Shit!

All right!

Are you kidding me?

Mom! What the hell are you doing?

- Yeah. Okay. All right. Good. Come on.
- Leave it! Ma, please!

It's too late!

- Robbie.
- Leave it! Please!

Robbie!

How are those hands?

Give us a minute here. Thank you.

Can I ask you a couple of questions?

Can ask me all the questions you want,

you take me down and arrest me.

I'm not gonna arrest you, Mrs. Hayes.

I got nothing to arrest you for.

Not yet you ain't.

We ain't all the enemy, you know.

I'll crucify the motherfuckers.

What are you gonna do, Mildred?

You gonna crucify 'em?

Yeah, I'm gonna crucify 'em.

Who you gonna crucify?

The motherfuckers?

Yeah, I'm gonna crucify the motherfuckers.

Ooh, then those motherfuckers

better watch out, all right?

Fucking A.

Oh, what's this shit?

And as sad as the spectacle

of these burned out billboards might be,

in light of the death of Chief Willoughby,

this reporter for one

wonders if this finally puts an end

to the strange saga
of the three billboards outside...

This doesn't put an end to shit,
you fucking retard!

This is just the fucking start!

Why don't you put that
on your Good Morning Missouri

fucking Wake Up broadcast, bitch!

I see on the TV
there were a bunch of fires

lit outside of town last night.

Bunch of fires, huh?

Out at those billboards.

Yeah, well, back when I was a cop,

I would have been interested
in who set those fires,

because, technically, that's arson.

But, as I'm no longer
employed by those people,

I don't really give a good goddamn,
now do I?

I'll get it.

Dixon residence.

Hey, Dixon, it's Cedric.

Oh, hey, Sarge. Got any news?

- News about what?
- I don't know.

About my job and stuff?

No. No. What?

No. Uh...

Anne Willoughby just dropped in a letter

that... Bill wrote you before he died.

What's it say?

Oh, I haven't read it, Dixon.
It's not my letter.

Oh, well, listen,
I'll... I'll come right down.

Um, I'll be there
in like 15 minutes.

Well... Uh...

Yeah, I d...
I don't think that'd be such a great idea,

things as they stand, Jason.

You... you still got your keys

to the station house, though, right?

Yeah.

Well, why don't you come and pick it up

after everyone's gone home?

I can leave it on your desk for you.

Oh, okay.

Actually, yeah, then...

when you're done, you can... you can...

just leave the keys...

you know, save us picking 'em up later.

All right.

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 gonna become...

...what I know you wanna become.

A detective.

Because 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.

Fuck 'em.

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 will think you're gay.

And if they do,
arrest them 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.

Calm.

Calm.

Calm.

So, what'd you see?

Well, when we turned
the corner from Spring,

the fire was already raging,

and about two seconds later the cop fella,

- he just jumps out of the window.
- Wait.

The two of you turned
the corner from Spring?

- Where were you before this?
- Round... round my place.

You two boyfriend and girlfriend?

Early stages, you know.

Is that right?

We had a couple dates.

You wanna go out to dinner
with me next week?

Yeah, I'll go out to dinner with ya.

But I ain't gonna fuck ya.

Well, I... I ain't gonna fuck you neither.

I guess.

Burn victim.
He's pretty heavily sedated.

Hey, man.

You doing okay? Jeez.

You got burned up pretty bad, huh?

You'll be okay though.

You, uh... you want
a glass of orange juice?

I got a straw somewhere.

Hey, hey.

Don't cry.

You'll be... you'll be okay.

I... I'm sorry, Welby.

- You know me?
- I'm sorry.

You're sorry... sorry for what?

For throwing you out the window.

I'm sorry, man.

I don't care!

Stop fucking crying, God damn it!

The salt'll just fuck up your wounds.

I thought salt
was supposed to be good for your wounds.

What am I, a fucking doctor?

Who is it?

Oh, you don't know me really.

Well, what do you want?

I come about the billboards.

- What about 'em?
- They got burned up.

I know that.

I'm one of the guys
who put 'em up in the first place.

Jerome.

What can I do for you, Jerome?

Well, when you put up
a bunch of posters like that,

just in case any of them
get screwed up or torn, they, uh...

give you a set of duplicates, you know?

No, I didn't know that.

Ladder's pretty steady
as it is there, James.

Oh... oh, that's okay.
I... I like holding ladders.

Takes me out of myself.

- Need a hand?
- Hey!

- When'd you get out?
- An hour ago.

Judge threw it out.

Said the arrest report
weren't filled out right.

Mmm.

Say, you...

Say, you didn't burn down
the police station, did you?

No, she was with me the whole night.

- Why would... okay.
- It's a long story.

Hey.

Hey.

Still wanna put up the Willoughby one,

him being dead and all?

Why not? He paid for it.

True.

Look at this fucking asshole.

- First round's on you?
- Yeah.

Well, here we are.

Here we are.

I like cheesy things.

I'm gonna look for cheesy things.

All right.

Who's that?

My ex-husband.

And his 19-year-old girlfriend.

- You wanna leave?
- No, no.

Deal's a deal.

It was fucking wild, man.

I think I was certifiably fucking insane
for a while back there.

- When was this?
- About nine, ten months ago.

Were you on your own or what?

I had a couple of buddies with me.

- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.

They fuck her too?

I think they got their kicks
just watching, you know?

- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.

Was she hot?

Once the gasoline kicked in
she was hot.

I swear, I wanted
to fuck her even more right then.

I don't know if I could
get that out of my mind.

I ain't going down for that shit,

last fucking day down there.

- He been there the whole time?
- Who?

Burnt face Jake.
Keeps fucking walking up and down.

I don't know. I don't think so.

- Another round?
- Yeah.

Eight bucks.

Maestro.

Can I help you with something?

Excuse me?

You keep looking over here
all fucking night.

Now, unless you've got
something to say to me,

why don't you take
your burnt fucking face

and get the fuck out of here, okay?

- No, I... scoot over.
- What are you doing? What are you doing?

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait,
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Just trust me, okay?

You like magic?

- Just trust me.
- Just do the fucking trick, man.

Okay.

What the fuck!

Hey.

Hey!

- Hey! That's enough now!
- What's it to you, fucker?

The guy's a cop, man. He's a cop.

Oh, yeah?

He ain't wearing no badge.

I lost my badge.

Can't remember where I lost it.

Hey, you started this, man!
I didn't do shit to you!

I know I started it.

I scratched you up
like a bitch.

That's exactly fucking right.

I'm gonna go use the little boy's room.

You got something to say to me?

If I'd known, we could have double dated.

Doesn't shit girl have
a curfew weeknights?

No. No.

In fact, I was actually gonna take her
to the circus later,

but there's no need now.
Does he juggle?

Look, I'm having one dinner with the guy,
'cause he did me a favor, okay?

You don't have to explain yourself to me

'cause you're having dinner
with a midget, Mildred.

I'm not explaining myself to you.

You kind of are.

Look, I didn't come over here
to break your balls.

You can date as many midgets as you want.

No.

No, I came over to say
I was sorry, actually.

Sorry for what?

Sorry about what happened
to your billboards and all.

Yeah, well, it's all water
under the bridge, I guess.

Good.

I'm glad. I was pretty drunk,
but it still don't excuse it.

All this anger, man.

Penelope said to me the other day...

"It just begets greater anger."

You know?

It's true.

Penelope said, "Begets"?

Yeah.

"It begets greater anger."

Well...

You take care of this
little lady, okay, sport?

Big lady compared to you, right?

- You all right?
- I think I wanna go home now.

Don't give me any shit, James.

We'll do it another night, all right?

Why would I want to do it another night?

You've been...

embarrassed to be here
ever since we arrived.

Oh, for Christ sake.

I didn't force you
to come on this date, all right?

You forced me.

F... forced you?

I asked you on a date.
Wow.

You know...

I know
I'm not that much of a catch.

I know I'm a dwarf who sells used cars

and has a drinking problem. I know that.

But who the hell are you, man?

You're that billboard lady
who never smiles,

never has a good word
to say about anybody,

and who, in the evening times,

sets fucking fire to police stations!

And I'm the one who's not a catch?

Hey!

You know, I didn't have to
come and hold your ladder.

Now, don't make a scene.

Did you really tell him
"Anger begets greater anger"?

Oh! Yes! I did.

I didn't make it up
myself though.

I can't claim that.

No, I read it on a bookmark...

which was in a book I was reading...

about polio.

Polo. No.
Which is the one with the horses?

Polio or polo?

- Polo.
- Polo.

Be nice to her, Charlie.

You got that?

Jason!

- Jason. Jason!
- Don't look at me.

- Don't look at me!
- What have they done to you?

- Leave me, Momma!
- Are you...

No. No! Oh!

Oh, don't lock me...

Open up this door!

Please, Jason.

Let me help you. Please.

You're my baby boy.
Open this door.

Please.

Jason, please.

Please.

Please open the door.

Open up!

Jason!

I'm all right, Momma.

It's all gonna be all right.

I don't wanna get
your hopes up, all right,

but there is a guy, and I think

he might be the guy. I got his DNA.

Got a lot of it, actually.

They're making the checks as we speak.

He's in jail?

No, but he ain't gonna be hard to find.

Why do you think he's the guy?

I heard him talking about

something he did to a girl
the middle of last year.

I couldn't hear all of it, but...

It sounded a lot like
what happened to Angela.

And then he beat
the crap out of me.

But because of that...

I got a bunch of his DNA.

So, I wanted to...

let you know sooner rather than later.

I didn't want you
to give up hope, you know?

I've been trying not to.

Well...

all you can do is try.

As my momma says...

not so much about hope as about...

well, I didn't used to be
very good at English at school.

So it was more
"All you can do is try

"to not be so crap at English."

Because you need English,
really, if you wanna be a cop.

If you wanna be anything, really.

Unless you live in Mexico or something.

Who wants that?

Hey, Dixon?

Thank you.

You did good, Jason.

You did real good.

But he wasn't the guy.

What?

There was no match to the DNA.

No matches to any other crimes
of this nature.

To any crimes at all, in fact.

And his record is clean.

Maybe he was just bragging.

- He wasn't just bragging.
- Well, that's as may be.

But at the time of Angela's death...

he wasn't even in the country.

Where was he?

Well, I've seen his records
of entry and exit to the States,

and I've spoken to his commanding officer.

He wasn't in the country, Dixon.
He ain't our guy.

Uh, no, he...

He... he might not be our guy,

but he still done something shitty.

I know he did.

Not in Missouri he didn't.

Where was he?

That's classified information.

Oh, come on, man.

If the guy has a commanding officer,

and if the guy got back to the country
nine months ago,

and if the country
where he was is classified,

which country
do you think he was in?

Hey, you know...

I'll give you a clue.

It was sandy.

That doesn't really narrow it down.

All you need to know is that

he didn't do nothing to Angela Hayes,

so... we're gonna keep looking.

All right?

I found my badge after all.

Hello?

It's Dixon.

Tell me.

He wasn't the guy.

Mildred?

Are you sure?

He... he wasn't even in
the country when it happened.

So, whatever he did...

he didn't do it round here.

I'm sorry I got your hopes up.

Well, that's all right. That's all right.

At least I had a day of hoping,

and that's more than I've had for a while.

I gotta go.

There was, uh...

There was one thing I was thinking.

What's that?

I know he ain't your rapist.

He is a rapist, though.
I'm sure of that.

What are you saying to me?

Got his license plate.

I know where he lives.

Where's he live?

He lives in Idaho.

That's funny.

I'm driving to Idaho
in the morning.

Want some company?

Sure.

- Hey, Dixon?
- Yeah?

I need to tell you something.

It was me that burned down
the police station.

Why, who the hell else
would it have been?

Dixon?

Yup?

- Are you sure about this?
- About killing this guy?

Not really. You?

Not really.

I guess we can decide
along the way.