The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)

The Banshees of Inisherin

Quick Facts

• Director: Martin McDonagh

• Writer: Martin McDonagh

• Genres: Comedy / Drama

• Content Rating: Rated R for language throughout, some violent content

Plot

Set in Inisherin, a fictional Irish island in the 1920s, two lifelong friends - Colm (Brendan Gleeson) and Pádraic (Colin Farrell) - that circumstances made inseparable. But today was different; Colm suddenly declared an end to their friendship. With Pádraic's wounded disbelief and Colm's insistence on breaking up, the two friends find themselves in the most uneasy situation. The Banshees of Inisherin is a tale of shattered friendships and the struggle to accept friends splitting up.

A hilarious comedy offset by a fair dose of melancholic drama: the Irish writer-director Martin McDonagh has drawn the audience with his ability to find grace amid the monstrous. The film switches masterfully between comedy and tragedy, realism and fable.

Casting / Acting

The film is a reunion for director Martin McDonagh and stars - Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, who worked together in the 2008 film In Bruges. Both stars present a spectacular portrayal of the complex friendship of Pádraic and Colm (respectively). What might be my favorite performance of the entire year is Kerry Condon as Siobhán - Pádraic's witty sister who, unlike her brother, looks forward to a more adventurous life outside Inisherin. Likewise, Barry Keoghan portrays Dominic - a simple young man seen as foolish and ignored by everyone in town. Farrell and Gleeson are definitely the leads of Banshees, but Keoghan is its stealth heart.

Aesthetics

Alongside the simple yet captivating plot, The Banshees of Inisherin LOOKS beautiful. Cinematographer Ben Davis captures, with astonishing cinematography, Inisherin's breathtaking landscapes filled with elements of simple rural vibes and mysticism. With a washed-out greyish palette, the audience can sense the dullness and the monotony of life in Inisherin. This may subtly explain some of the characters burning desire to quit their homeland and discover worlds beyond the isle.

Soundtrack

Rather than fiddles and accordions usually found in Irish folk music, the score builds a haunting and mysterious atmosphere that builds tension with rising events thanks to harps, flutes, and resonant bells. Here's the soundtrack!! https://open.spotify.com/album/0aIEKTzRH1fuEyCWCAri1n?si=UixOQmtMTruR_JIq8_qMBA

Conclusion

The Banshees of Inisherin could not be more Irish if it tried. McDonagh takes the audience on a philosophically filled journey intersected with references to the Irish Civil war. Even if you look beyond its Irish crew and setting, the entire story could be interpreted by some as a dark fable about the Irish Civil War. The Banshees of Inisherin asks the question of what’s more important, to be loved or to be great? Nice or impressive? Though the events of the second half of the movie took a dark turn and might be a little unsettling for some viewers, I would give The Banshees of Inisherin a rating of 8 out of 10.