Verdict
Summary
The Banshees of Inisherin is at times hilarious and equal parts tragic and dark but it’s worth watching for all the performances which are faultless.
Plot: On a remote island off the coast of Ireland, Pádraic is devastated when his buddy Colm suddenly puts an end to their lifelong friendship. With help from his sister and a troubled young islander, Pádraic sets out to repair the damaged relationship by any means necessary. However, as Colm’s resolve only strengthens, he soon delivers an ultimatum that leads to shocking consequences.
Review: The Banshees of Inisherin has been receiving countless accolades and is even nominated for multiple Oscars; normally I’m not interested in Oscar fare however, being of Irish stock I was intrigued about this movie and had to see it for myself.
Although it’s not a film I would watch again it deserves every ounce of praise as Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are phenomenal however, I think Barry Keoghan steals the movie as Dominic Kearney. He provides some humour but is actually the most tragic character of the film not only having to live with an abusive father but his scene where he asks Siobhán Súilleabháin (Kerry Condon) if she could ever love someone like him is the most heartbreaking scene I’ve witnessed for a long time and is something we can all relate to in some way.
Colin Farrell plays Pádraic Súilleabháin who has been best friends with Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson) for many years; one day Colm decides he doesn’t like Pádraic anymore and abruptly ends their friendship. Pádraic refuses to accept this and tries to find out why but Colm begins to take drastic measures any time Pádraic speaks to him.
Although it never tries to provide any easy answers Banshees is essentially an exploration of loneliness and depression with Colm battling “the despair” regularly. It feels relevant for these current times with mental health a big issue after living in a pandemic for several years.
Banshees is beautifully shot with a haunting score and visuals that will stick with you for days after viewing. It’s not exactly feelgood fare and gets quite dark and genuinely unsettling at times but there is still enough levity to make it worth watching.
Overall, The Banshees of Inisherin has some of the best performances you’ll see this year and it really deserves to win every award; it can be a tough watch especially if you do have feelings of loneliness or depression so it’s not something I would likely sit through again but it’s worth seeing once to admire the sheer craft.