Review
The Banshees of Inisherin (Comedy, Drama) (2022)
Director: Martin McDonagh
Writer: Martin McDonagh
Stars: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Barry Keoghan, Kerry Condon
On the island of Inisherin, Ireland—two lifelong friends are in dispute, as one stops acknowledging the other, hoping he’ll leave it be, allowing both to move on.
Premiering at the Venice Film Festival, Martin McDonagh creates a tragi-comedy where a friend clinging to an old friendship leads to dire results and an immense feud between the pair. Reuniting Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell in the starring roles, it’s been filmed across multiple Irish islands. The film has been produced by Film4 Productions, Blueprint Pictures and TSG Entertainment while distributed by Searchlight Pictures.
Sometime during the Irish Civil War, the life of Pádraic Súilleabháin (Colin Farrell) shifts as his closest friend Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson), suddenly upends their friendship. Utterly baffled by his sudden change in demeanour towards him, he refuses to accept this. After all, there aren’t many inhabitants on Inisherin, and they’ll have to see each other each night in the pub either way.
Within a rather black comedy, the dissolvement of friendship in a closely-knit community provides ultimately relatable turmoil with a flair for the dramatic.
As this narrative on the fictional island of Inisherin commences, it seems a petty squabble, an unbelievably straightforward narrative at first glance. Which, is taken far beyond the initially expected due to some stellar chemistry betwixt cast and further carried due to an awe-inspiring locale and the use of the actor’s native accents.
At first, Gleeson’s Colm appears childish, as mentioned by the shallow cast in town. But when Farrell’s Pádraic becomes pushier and keeps bothering his old friend, it perhaps becomes the most relatable relationship squabble in recent film memory. Colm admits, Pádraic is simply dull, which others, apart from Condon’s character playing Siobhán Súilleabháin which is Pádraic’s sister, hesitantly admit. Done with the tiresome conversations of his former-friend, Colm feels enlightened after shedding this burdensome weight he used to call his pal.
Some moviegoers might find difficulty in pinpointing the genre. Still, McDonagh has perhaps perfected the tragi-comedy, a harmony of disturbances, sadness, and humour being so incredibly relatable despite the extremes it delivers. It works splendidly; while the tale presents uncomplicated, the setting and inner-grievances between the townsfolk keep you engaged.
When bringing across comedy in such a foolish, at times, illogical way, it’s precisely my forte, and this director proves his worth double-over.
Verdict
A shriek on the Island of Inisherin.
8,2
