Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri
Frances McDormand Sam Rockwell Woody Harrelson Martin McDonagh, Writer/Director In order to stay ‘with it,’ to be hep and all, I updated my invention – TheSound of Music syndrome – to the Avatar syndrome. Here it is: Sometimes a movie is so hyped that a several things happen. First, said movie cannot live up to the hype, no matter how good it is. Second, people cannot/will not say what they really think of that over-hyped movie for fear of seeming ignorant or uncool. Third, a moviegoer’s soaring expectations can lead to disappointment. I discovered this phenomenon in 1965 with the huge letdown of The Sound of Music. Anticipation ‘way too high! I remember watching Julie Andrews grinning and twirling and singing to the sky, and thinking what the heck?! How’d I get suckered into this? Not that The Sound of Music is bad. It’s not! It’s good. It’s just not that good. Come on...