Running time: 114 minutes
Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleason, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan
Directed by: Martin McDonagh
The story: When his best friend suddenly and without reason ends their friendship, one man struggles to understand what went wrong.
The verdict: The Banshees of Inisherin is a film that appears on its surface to be rather simple. Set on an isolated island in 1923, our characters have little to do other than tend to their animals and gather each afternoon in the pub. Yet there is no such thing as a simple existence and beneath appearances, the two men at the heart of this film are nursing a number of complex emotions.
The Banshees of Inisherin is a film about friendship and family. It is a film about longing and loneliness and despair and desire. It is a film about the different kinds of grief and how those kinds of grief are dealt with. It is also a film that looks in some part at masculinity and how men might quash their emotions in a way that leads to dire consequences. Whilst that may sound like an overload of themes, they are all dealt with in a way that is nuanced and well balanced. The result is a film that is not only incredibly relatable but also incredibly profound.
This is also a film that might feel especially poignant if you yourself have ever experienced a sudden loss of communication from a close friend. In modern times, we might call this ‘ghosting.’ However, the salient point is that whether it happens in 1923 or 2022 - it still really bloody hurts. With that in mind, the audience is really able to empathise with Pàdraic and understand his confusion and pain.
In terms of performances, The Banshees of Inisherin may be one of the strongest films of the year. This film boasts a great ensemble performance and in particular Colin Farrell and Kerry Condon really stood out, though Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan weren’t far behind.
The setting of the film also adds so much, both visually and narratively. The island of Inisherin is both isolated and beautiful, both a home and a prison. It was so easy to be transported there.
A tragi-comedy which is as funny as it is profoundly sad, The Banshees of Inisherin is a triumph for McDonagh.
The rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half
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