The Banshees of Inisherin

Every once in a while there's a film I come across that I just "vibe" with. (Dear youths, did I use that right?)

Last week's dull, overlong, and mightily pretentious / ambiguous Tar was certainly not it, which always throws me off. I don't enjoy giving bad scores or dissenting from the larger opinion by wide margins, but even several days later I'm increasingly frustrated with that film. 

The Banshees of Inisherin might as well be my remedy. Coming from director Martin McDonagh, whose previous effort Three Billboards, won the Rath Award for Best Film in 2017, we see the reuniting of fantastic Irish actors: Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. Originally building a strong, memorably chemistry in the dark comedy, In Bruges, here they return as simple Irish men, living on an island off the country in the early 1920s. 

Bluntly, I loved The Banshees of Inisherin. I dug nearly everything about it, much of which I'll get into in the review. My nearly full audience seemed to love it too, though this is strangely a film where I'm not sure my recommendation would be for everyone. It's a film with small scope, arguably about nothing...or at least I could see that argument being made, and it wouldn't be wholly wrong. But it's also one that features damn fine filmmaking and performances, while also (likely) being one of those films I return to thinking about weeks and months from now, very similar to Three Billboards. Its themes can be incredibly simple or as complex as your mind wants to make them, which is part of the fun of this package with what I'd term "ambiguity done right".

We're initially introduced to Colin Farrell's Padraic, who's the island "nice guy" but perhaps not the smartest. He's ok with that because he knows he's not the dumbest (that would be Barry Keoghan's Dominic) so he continues to embrace his "nice guy" persona. As was the way in these simple times, he goes to retrieve his friend to head to the pub for the evening (at 2pm in the afternoon, mind you) and finds that his previous best friend, Brendan Gleeson's Colm, wants nothing to do with him. Out of the blue! Would you feckin' believe that? 

"Well dammit Colm, I told ya chuggin yer beer wouldn't make yer feel good.
What the feck you do that for?

The tale of friendship that unravels is at the core of the story, though there are several worthwhile, if slightly undercooked subplots to support it. Banshees comes off deceptively simple, but I found it to be more profound than many may give it credit for. In nearly every main character, I found something to relate to, meaning that I understood and sympathized, sometimes even empathized with their reasoning. Colm in particular is a complex character who's motives I won't ruin here, but to say that I understood them and have even felt them in action several times throughout my life. Much in the way I look back on my favorite parts of Billboards, so till will I value the conversation that Banshees brings to the table.

"Do you think I'll ever get invited to the MCU?"

Even better is that it's a feckin' hilarious movie too, easily one of the funniest of the year. Because of the thick Irish accents, the script jumps off the page and nearly every line has some ability to make you smile, with several moments being laugh-out-loud funny. Keoghan's aforementioned Dominic is as dull as they come and hilarious because of it, but McDonagh, who also wrote the film, gets laughs from sometimes the simplest situations...like a grocery store lady who wants NEWS! Because of the humor layered in throughout the enjoyable, thought-provoking narrative, Banshees becomes immensely watchable, and I'd see myself revisiting it several times down the road. It also doesn't hurt that it's a damn gorgeous film - near perfect in this regard - to look at. The cinematography is simple, but effective, particularly with the jaw-dropping Irish coastal landscape, while the editing is top notch. Toss in a delightfully Irish original score and you're starting to understand just how perfectly this movie all comes together. 

If I had any complaint - and this will likely vary by viewer - it would be that I sought more closure in the ending. I enjoyed the ambiguity to a certain degree (and was enjoying the elements of it beforehand), but our final conversation and final frame make the whole thing feel incomplete. Almost like a TV episode half-way through the season where you know there's still several episodes left. I can't say I know exactly what I thought was going to happen, nor what I wanted to happen, but even days later I drastically wanted more closure. 

That's a small feckin' blemish on a film that, once again, I just dug the damn thing. It was one of those theater-going experiences that felt like the right film at the right time, especially after my disappointment from my previous trip to the movies. Much like Billboards, I expect The Banshees of Inisherin to make quite a splash in the Rath Awards in a couple months' time.

CONS

• Some subplots feel undercooked
• I would have liked some degree more of closure/finality

PROS

• Amazing, very funny script and phenomenal direction from Martin McDonagh
• Memorable performances from everyone, but especially Farrell, Gleeson, and Keoghan
• Gorgeous to look at + fitting Irish music
• Simple tale with profound layers. Has kept me thinking past the credits
• Delightfully feckin' funny
• Entertaining and feels like one of those movies where everything comes together

Rath's Review Score | 9/10