Thank you for saying this.
I love all of these actors, and they played their parts very well with what they were given. Mildred was great.
But my problem with this movie was the writing. Specifically, with the fact that yes, there's a big conflict, and no, it never gets resolved in any way by the end.
So while a bunch of fluff and fighting is going on, NOTHING ACTUALLY HAPPENS.
Sure, we get one character transformation. But really, just one. Officer Dixon is the only one who is actually a significantly different guy by the end.
I am beyond sick of movies that employ violence into almost every scene just for the sake of "being edgy" when it does not significantly move the plot forward. This movie was full of violence to the point where you start wondering if these people felt anything other than anger. The scenes would've had a lot more impact if there were less, better-placed scenes with violence where it really meant something. Like Willoughby's suicide. It's not poetic. It's just sad. He could've had a heart attack as a side effect of his cancer, and the plot wouldn't have changed at all- everyone would still blame Mildred for the stress she gave him that led to the heart attack. Why do we need a suicide here? The man was already dying.
Next, plot holes. Like can anyone explain to me where in America there is a police station, a government building, with only ONE door and set of windows for entering or leaving the entire building, a place large enough to lock people up in? I say this because it's ridiculous that the psycho-cop has to jump through a burning window to leave the police station that's burning down just for the sake of a little more drama. Why is there not a back door he could've left from?
Another glaring plot hole is how do you explain Mildred assaulting kids at the school and their parents don't press charges? But the dentist pressed charges - when there were no witnesses - out of spite. Come on! When half of the school sees Mildred assault those kids and they have witnesses everywhere, we're just going to pretend there are no consequences because hey, she's got a right to be mad. I'm not buying it.
The movie had potential and some good scenes, but sorry, didn't like it.
hey @joylovestowrite! i enjoyed reading your comment:) first of all, i do agree that there are some holes in the script (no charges against her behaviour at the school, or the fire scene). But in my opinion this film was not exploiting the violence in order to attract public to the theatres. And i cannot agree that nothing happens throughout the film. I guess it is up to each viewer to make the opinion on their own. And that's great that they differ:) ah, one more thing. in my personal opinion the suicide of the chief of the police was in the plot for a reason - to show who he was. He was proud and didn't want his family to see him getting weaker with every passing day. So he left "on his own terms". well, at least this is how i see it.
Yeah. I have different reasons for not liking it that much, but mainly that we have to be nice to the film for it to work, like you said about forgiving things in the film because you as the audience understand where the filmmaker wanted you to go. I'm okay that nothing gets resolved and all that. It's like life, and that's kind of where this is I guess, an absurdist. Likeable characters, they do stuff, things get chaotic. The end.
haha, i really like your approach:)