'The Banshees of Inisherin' Review: Sublime Irish Folktale of a Friendship Turned Feud
The Banshees of Inisherin
R: Language throughout, some violent content, and brief graphic nudity
Runtime: 1 Hour and 54 Minutes
Production Companies: Film4 Productions, Blueprint Pictures, TSG Entertainment
Distributor: Searchlight Pictures
Director: Martin McDonagh
Writers: Martin McDonagh
Cast: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan, Pat Shortt, Jon Kenny
Release Date: October 21, 2022
In Theaters Only
Set on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland, The Banshees of Inisherin follows lifelong friends Pádraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson), who find themselves at an impasse when Colm unexpectedly puts an end to their friendship. A stunned Pádraic, aided by his sister Siobhán (Kerry Condon) and troubled young islander Dominic (Barry Keoghan), endeavors to repair the relationship, refusing to take no for an answer. But Pádraic's repeated efforts only strengthen his former friend’s resolve and when Colm delivers a desperate ultimatum, events swiftly escalate, with shocking consequences.
Irish writer/director Martin McDonagh’s filmography has been dark, violent, witty, and whatever his muddled handling of race in Three Billboards was. That said, Martin McDonagh’s brand of dark comedy always has a sharp bite. The Banshees of Inisherin initially makes you wonder what era of McDonagh he’s going to deliver. Will the tone swing towards the poignant reflectiveness of In Bruges or the frustrating performative nature of Three Billboards? McDonagh’s latest, The Banshees of Inisherin, swings above and beyond his entire repertoire with a complex and mature folktale on an adult theme hardly discussed in cinema: expired friendships.
Pádraic (Colin Farrell) leads a calm, conflict-free life on the fictional Irish island of Inisherin, tending to his farm animals, sharing a room with his sister Siobhán (Kerry Condon), and going out to the local pub daily. But when his best friend Colm (Brendan Gleeson) tells him that he doesn’t wanna be friends with him anymore—for little to discernible reason—Pádraic is thrown for a loop. He tries to investigate why his BFF burned him all of a sudden. As their interactions teeter into constant pestering, Colm starts to make drastic, bloody decisions.
Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson’s budding chemistry in In Bruges was the most charming aspect of that dark comedy. Inisherin has McDonagh reversing that dynamic, yet he retains his magical spark. Colm Irish exits his way out of Pádraic’s life early into the film. The waves crash onto the Inisherin shore behind the awkward one-sided departure, adding a layer of coldness. Thenceforth, McDonagh plays a psychological game with his audience, asking where their morality lies as Pádraic slowly descends into a pathetic state while constantly badgering Colm. The tension between them rises into dangerous territory and the film’s aura evokes claustrophobia.
Though its premise is minimal, McDonagh does what he does best in the screenwriting department: slowly traversing into dour territory while writing hysterical comedic bits. Similar to In Bruges, the comedy shines bright when the quirky characters overreact to situational predicaments. Every Inisherin resident has a distinctively eccentric personality, which makes for strong comedy. It evokes a folktale vitality that stems from the entire town’s participation in their drama. The local bartender tries to call them out, an old psychic haunts Pádraic, Colm’s priest gets nosy, and the village idiot Dominic (a sublime Barry Keoghan) finds companionship in Pádraic. McDonagh cleverly incorporates minor subplots to add dimension to the town’s lifestyle outside of the main duo. Looming in the background is a subtle metaphor for the 1923 Irish Civil War, but it never interferes with the foreground events.
Colin Farrell delivers an unbelievably masterful performance. Apart from his puppy dog eyes and bushy eyebrows that speak a thousand words, he slowly deconstructs the typical “nice guy” persona in movement and expression. His expert line delivery and slow unraveling into anguish keep you fully gripped. While Pádraic bears similarities to his character in In Bruges, Farrell brings a complex maturity with his body movement that matches the film’s suffocating atmosphere. Pádraic might be the best performance of Farrell’s entire career.
Brendan Gleeson brings a cold, somewhat psychopathic gruffness to Colm that’s intimidating and works as a perfect contrast to his fallen comrade. Their behaviors have you questioning how they were friends in the first place.
One particular performer who deserves praise is Kerry Condon as Siobhán, who has to play referee to the men’s petty squabble. Siobhán’s responsibility to keep cool and react as the only sensible person amid the madness makes her the most identifiable character in the film. She resembles the audience’s avatar for the ridiculous decisions that Colm and Pádraic make. With Banshees rightfully generating awards buzz, Condon’s performance is undoubtedly one of the strongest in the supporting actress bracket.
Ferociously funny, dark, and offering the best performance of Colin Farrell’s career to date, The Banshees of Inisherin is Martin McDonagh at his most minimalist, yet most mature. Getting major mileage out of a simple premise, McDonagh’s ghastly, adult folktale of expired friendships bodes to be one of the year’s finest comedies. I can’t wait to see this movie again, but next time with feckin’ subtitles because their Irish accents are strong as shite.
