Although it's supposed to be a comedy, it sometimes feel like an assault. It's not fun to watch, since it's a dark moral fable about the abrupt end of a friendship.
However, I have a low tolerance for gore, and there are multiple acts of mutilation in the second half; plus, something terrible happens to an animal. Absolutely not for children, or sensitive teens.
The Banshees of Inisherin is not just a beautifully written screenplay. This deeply affecting, warmly humorous, beautifully acted and handsomely photographed (by Ben Davis) film is a major work and top of my list for the best film of 2022. Content collapsed.
To call "The Banshees of Inisherin" a black comedy would be somewhat of an understatement, but if you pay attention and listen very closely, almost every line of dialog is understatedly hilarious, but set within a context so dire that the effect is muted by the desperation and solemnity of the characters.
The message of the film is the downfall of culture and the way loss can destroy someone. With the two leads serving as metaphors for the Irish as a nation, the message of the film can be read as a cautionary tale.
Why The Banshees of Inisherin is the Best Movie of 2022
What do Irish people think of The Banshees of Inisherin?
Oscar-nominated film The Banshees of Inisherin portrays Irish people as “moronic” and is “extremely offensive”, according to a complaint to the Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO).
The film begins, however, with Colm refusing to speak to Pádraic. Eventually, Colm tells Pádraic that he simply doesn't like him anymore. The root of that dislike comes from their difference in intellect and interests. Colm is a fiddler and composer, introspective and artistic.
Barry Keoghan, who plays a youth possibly on the autism spectrum, is terrific as Dominic. It is he who is sharper (and kinder) about life's fallacies, accepting the bad hand he has been dealt by gods of fate.
What language is spoken in The Banshees of Inisherin?
Not one person, ever, speaks Gaelic, the indigenous language on Inisherin. This despite Inis Mór and the Achill Islands where much of the film was shot being part of the Gaeltacht – the regions recognised by the Irish government as where Gaelic, rather than English, predominates.
The setting is year 1923 on an island, that also is a place of fiction (or not real); The island is on the Irish west coast; A farmer (Colin Farrell) lives there in a simple house with his sister Siobhan (Kerry Condon); They have two cows and a small donkey.
What to know before watching banshees of Inisherin?
Parents need to know that The Banshees of Inisherin is a superb, dark Irish comedy-drama set in 1923, centered around a group of men who spend their days drinking and smoking in the local pub. It stars Colin Farrell as Pádraic and Brendan Gleeson as Colm, the latter abruptly deciding one day that he no longer…
The film stars the Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. I forgot how good these actors are. All the performances are really good, actually. The pacing of the film is spot on, there isn't any redundant conversation, it all is good character building that really allowed me to develop a connection to each actor.
“The Banshees of Inisherin” intertwines the life of a simple islander with the narrative that surrounds him, giving audiences a lesson in the sensitivity and principles of humanity and history alike.
The ominous and tragic theme of loneliness lingers just below the surface in this Martin McDonagh film starring Colin Farrell that has been nominated for several Academy Awards.
Does The Banshees of Inisherin have a happy ending?
The ending of the film sees Pádraic and Colm's feud escalate to devastating consequences, with deaths and acts of self-mutilation occurring. The ending highlights the deep divide between Pádraic and Colm, and their inability to reconcile or find peace, ultimately leading to their own destruction.
Why does he cut his fingers off in Banshees of Inisherin?
He was willing to compromise himself - to cut off a part of himself, in rejection of what the other side stood for, which he saw as unsophisticated and inferior (although Siobhán is shown to be the most intelligent character in the story - perhaps she represents those who emigrated during the War of Independence).
What does the ending of Banshees of Inisherin mean?
Pádraic spares Colm's dog but burns the house down, seeing Colm sitting inside it. As we learn in the end, Colm decides he doesn't wish to die yet and escapes from the home. This act signifies the end of any hope of reconciliation, as they both have now caused irreparable damage to each other.
Colm has a choice — he can easily leave the house before Pádraic sets it ablaze. But he won't. As he told the priest, he doesn't intend to deal with his despair by embracing suicide. But that doesn't mean he can't wait for something to come along to kill him.
“Cailín” is the Irish slang for “girl.” A lot of Irish people still use this word even when speaking in English. The plural, “Cailíní,” is also commonly used, for example, “I'm meeting up with the cailíní later on.” One of our absolute favorite Irish phrases!
In one way, the growing animosity between Colm and Pádraic directly mirrors the Irish Civil War, where it can be argued that Pádraic represents the Free State forces and the self-sabotaging Colm is akin to the IRA.
Was The Banshees of Inisherin based on a true story?
The island town featured in The Banshees of Inisherin may be fictional, but the locations around Ireland where it was filmed are beautifully real — and very visitable.
The acting and scenery are marvelous, as others have noted. The plot as a metaphor for the Irish Civil War and so on. The strange sudden "unfriending" and the bizarre twists and turns it takes as a commentary on human nature and isolation amid a tedious present and an uncertain future.
