The Banshees of Inisherin, 2022.
Directed by Martin McDonagh.
Starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan, Pat Shortt, Jon Kenny, Gary Lydon, Sheila Flitton and David Pearse.
SYNOPSIS:
Two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them.
Director Martin McDonagh reunites with his In Bruges stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson for a hilarious, dramatic and character driven story in The Banshees of Inisherin. It is a reunion worthy to hype for as Farrell and Gleeson shine in a sharply written script that is beautifully shot against the Irish coast.
Set on a small island off Ireland within a tight-knit community in the early 1920s, the film follows Farrell and Gleeson as two friends who have an abrupt falling out when Glesson’s Colm no longer wants to speak with Farrell’s Pádraic for no discernable reason. As Pádraic refuses to take no for answer and wants to know why they can’t be friends anymore, the conflict quickly grows until almost everyone in the island community is involved, pulling in Pádraic’s sister Siobhán, played by Kerry Condon, and his young rapscallion friend Dominic, played by Barry Keoghan.
Farrell is a hilarious delight as Pádraic in one of his best performances yet. Pádraic is funny and a bit of a buffoon, or as he’s called by many people including his sister a “dullard”, but he’s a loveable one who places a lot of value on niceness and loves his animals on their little farm, particularly his donkey. His comedic timing and delivery is great as is his pairings with Gleeson, Condon and Keoghan.
They all play off each other really well and Gleeson’s cold and doesn’t care attitude toward Pádraic makes them nice foils while Condon gives as much as everyone else in terms of comedy with Siobhán not taking any insults lightly and is very protective of her brother. Keoghan’s got a youthful energy and shows there’s more to Dominic than just a young drunk as he looks up to Pádraic.
The comedy and drama are nicely balanced. Many of the jokes, stories and visual gags land incredibly well, but there is a lot of heart within the story too as Pádraic doesn’t want to lose a friendship as well as the close bond he and Siobhán share. McDonagh’s script moves at a nice pace and is sharp with its wit. Music also plays a big role as Colm’s newfound hobby of playing the violin takes up much of his time and the score from Carter Burwell is quite evocative.
The film’s visuals are also gorgeous, from showcasing Ireland’s landscape and coast to the way it frames Pádraic and Colm in the local pub to some of the more dramatic scenes later on. The story takes a slight turn from being a black comedy into something a bit more dramatic, but it’s not out of the blue when it happens and fits both the story and all of the characters mindsets.
The Banshees of Inisherin is a hilarious and thoughtful film focusing on the nature of friendship, community and what it means to be remembered. Farrell and Gleeson give fantastic performances that emphasize the strength of McDonagh’s script and direction. It is one film to watch out for once it hits the wider market.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Ricky Church – Follow me on Twitter for more movie news and nerd talk.
