THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN

Review: Two lifelong friends Padraic and Colm find themselves at impasse when Colm abruptly ends their friendship. Events swiftly escalate, with shocking consequences for both of them.
Director: Martin McDonagh
Actors: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Pat Shortt, Barry Keoghan, David Pearse and Aaron Monaghan
Year: 2022
Genre: Comedy and Drama
Conclusion: 4/5
I loved this film and thought it was great. When this film started, I did think of Fr. Ted (TV Series 1995-1998) in the way that you have the remote rural community on an island off the West Coast of Ireland. In the first half an hour of this film I did find myself laughing out loud quite a lot at some of the jokes. However, as the film progressed, I did find it gets much heavier and there is a much darker element to it. I felt that the character that Brendan Gleeson plays is always aware of death and most of the time also in existential despair. The film is also about confronting one’s own mortality and obliteration. I have to say that Colin Farrell was outstanding in this and they could not have done the film without him. I am very surprised though that he did not get a Bafta Award for his performance. Both Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson agreed to be in the film seven years before it was greenlit. I do think that all the characters played an equal part, including Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan. The only other person I thought that could have played Barry Keoghan’s character is Chris Walley, The Young Offenders (TV Series 2018-2021). My all-time favourite character is the donkey named Jenny!! I thought that the use of the music was spot on and again a lovely score. Very well directed and written by Martin McDonagh, who I am a huge fan of. My favourite quote from this film is by Padraic Suilleabhain: “I am not putting me donkey outside when I’m sad, okay?” The themes in this include ageing, isolation, depression, loneliness, and longing. At the Bafta Awards in 2023 this won four awards for Outstanding British Film of the Year, Best Supporting Actress (Kerry Condon), Best Supporting Actor (Barry Keoghan) and Best Screenplay (Original) (Martin McDonagh). At the Golden Globe Awards in 2023 this won three awards Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Colin Farrell) and Best Screenplay – Motion Picture (Martin McDonagh).