TW: death, suicide
When deciding on your next watch, you might want to consider giving “The Banshees of Inisherin” a try. This darkly humorous “break-up film” deserves a spot at the top of your watchlist. The Irish-led cast navigates a slow, grounded slog through the pitfalls of friendship and the ever-looming threat of mortality. Despite the film’s heavier thematic elements and somber motifs it still manages to be a digestible watch. Furthermore, it continues to garner positive feedback from reviewers; Rotten Tomatoes scored it at a 96% and Letterboxd users gave it 4.1/5 stars. Its wide fan base was not limited to the confines of social media platforms, it also contributed to the film’s success during award season. But just as soon as the film’s hype came, it seemingly disappeared.
Despite its nine Oscar nominations, the film did not earn a single win. That’s not to say the film wasn’t great, but the stiff competition at the 95th Academy Awards left it somewhat overlooked. Nevertheless, the film earned a total of 130 wins across several award shows including three wins at the Golden Globe Awards and three other wins at the Irish Film and Television Awards.
Starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, “The Banshees Of Inisherin” is a fictional tragicomedy that tells the story of two men who abruptly shift from friends to foes. When Padraic’s (Farrell) best friend Colm (Gleeson) basically dumps him, Padraic attempts to understand what went wrong. Although Colm is the one to end things, both men suffer internal turmoil. Padraic’s incessant agony over being snubbed by his lifelong friend fills viewers with a sense of melancholy.
The Irish star-studded cast would not be complete with the film’s other contributing actors. Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon’s performances are equally as powerful as Gleeson’s and Farrell’s. In fact, they were nominated for best supporting actor and actress at the Oscars respectively. Their contributions to the storyline are the aid they provide to Padraic as he deals with the end of his friendship with Colm. Dominic (Keoghan) and Siobhan (Condon) share an unusual connection that resonates intensely with viewers. Keoghan’s depiction of a depressed and mistreated young man in the throes of unrequited love pulls on the heartstrings of the most stoic movie-goers.
One of the central themes of this movie is mortality’s role in perpetuating pain in the living. Death is practically ingrained into the DNA of this movie. This stems from the fact that Colm ends his long-time friendship with Padraic because he fears that he’ll die of old age with nothing to his name. Colm is a talented musician and composer, and he begrudgingly expresses to Padraic that he does not wish to leave the world without contributing to his art. His own sentiments of despair and sadness are evident in his confessional sessions with the town’s priest. From his suicidal ideations to his acceptance of his mortality in the film’s finale, where Colm roams, the shadow of death follows.
One of the most predominant fan theories behind this movie is that it is tied to the Irish Civil War. Though Martin McDonagh directly denied constructing the plot with this connection in mind, he did acknowledge the similarity. McDonagh detailed that the conflict between Colm and Padraic can be construed as a metaphor for war, and that the film was meant to resemble certain general elements of civil war. Many watchers took to TikTok and Twitter to discuss this keen observation. Many users have used their platforms to explain the war allegory for those who missed the signs.
At this point, it is abundantly clear that the world moved on from “The Banshees of Inisherin” way too quickly. The intensely relatable Irish narrative depicting the deterioration of a friendship is underscored by the theme of death at every turn. Its star-studded cast delivers powerful performances that sculpt a near-perfect plot. This film deserves five four-leaf clovers and a never-ending round of applause.
