There are so many things to love about 'The Banshees of Inisherin': It has a premise which is both ludicrous and viscerally captivating, much like a classic folktale; the wide-ranging themes underlying the narrative hold great promise; its sensory world is crafted by a combination of stunning music and cinematography.
The Banshees of Inisherin feels more theatrical than cinematic, with its small cast and beautiful but remote setting that is unmistakably Irish in its gorgeous dreariness.
The Banshees of Inisherin explores the tragedy of fractured relationships and the generational feud that can spark through cynicism and petty squabbling. The film's conclusion is sour, elevated by the backdrop of the war working alongside the closed story of a deteriorating friendship.
A perfect blend of seriously gutting character conflict, and equally gutting subtle humor. Banshees is abundant in its post-Christian themes, mood, and development. The cross appears numerous times throughout the film, the best part about it being, it can mean what you want it to mean.
Colm and Pádraic were best friends who spent nearly all their time together. 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.
Mark Kermode reviews The Banshees of Inisherin - Kermode and Mayo's Take
Is Dominic in Banshees of Inisherin autistic?
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.
This is most easily observed by the presence of Mrs. McCormick (Sheila Flitton), the banshee of the movie. In Irish folklore, a banshee is a herald of death. While McCormick fulfills this role, I also think she is a visual representation of depression.
What does the donkey represent in The Banshees of Inisherin?
The gentle creature is a mirror of sorts for Pádraic, whose blissful, easygoing nature is destroyed by the end of the film when – major spoiler alert! – Jenny dies. "It's the death of Pádraic's innocence. Jenny represents that," Farrell says.
Why did he cut off his fingers in The Banshees of Inisherin?
With Colm, though, there's an added layer of pathos: He's an accomplished fiddler and composer. By cutting his fingers off, Colm sacrifices a core part of his identity and the main source of meaning in his life—and he makes sure the entire island knows that it's Pádraic's fault.
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.
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).
What did the ending of Banshees of Inisherin mean?
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.
It also received nine nominations at the 95th Academy Awards and 28th Critics' Choice Awards, respectively, but went home empty-handed at both ceremonies.
THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN is as close as you can get to a contemporary Shakespeare tragedy short of reviving the bard himself and teaching him how to use screenwriting software.
It is intended as an allegory for the Irish Civil War ('Inisherin' translates to 'Island Ireland'), which was in full rage at that time. Colin Farrell plays Pádraic Súilleabháin, a small farmer, and Brendan Gleeson plays Colm Doherty, a fiddle player who scores traditional Irish music.
What happened to the little donkey in The Banshees of Inisherin?
The miniature donkey who played the character of the same name in Martin McDonagh's latest film has officially retired from acting, according to the January 2023 issue of Empire Magazine. In the film, little Jenny is the closest companion of Colin Farrell's character Pádraic.
Does anything bad happen to the donkey in The Banshees of Inisherin?
The miniature donkey Jenny dies. She chokes to death trying to eat a severed human finger. Her death is not shown on screen, but her body is shown laying by a pile of her vomit when her owner finds her, and he fishes the finger out of her mouth. It's pretty disturbing if you're sensitive to animal death.
The movie is set in 1923 on the fictional island of Inisherin (literal meaning: 'Ireland island' – not a coincidence) and tells the story of a pair of friends who fall out — seemingly for no reason.
Within The Banshees of Inisherin, Jenny is Pádraic's best friend. Barely as tall as his waist, she follows him around the island dutifully, keeping Pádraic company and providing comfort once it becomes clear that Colm's decision to end their friendship is permanent.
McCormick (again: definitely, definitely not the titular banshee) leads him to the lake, only to find Dominic's washed-up corpse, having apparently killed himself in the wake of Peadar's unrelenting violence.
The 'Inisherin' of the title is a fictional island, but the film is shot on two: Achill Island in County Mayo and Inis Mór, the biggest of the Aran Islands in County Galway. A journey to each island brings much of the imagery and experiences from the film to life.
