Movie Reviews
The Banshees of Inisherin ★★★★
Director: Martin McDonagh
Cast: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Barry Keoghan, Kerry Condon
Release: 21st October 2022 (UK)
At this point, 2022 is Colin Farrell’s year. From After Yang to The Batman to Thirteen Lives, we now have his latest film titled The Banshees of Inisherin. Written and directed by Martin McDonagh, best known for making Seven Psychopaths and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, he continues to prove why he’s one of the most talented filmmakers currently working in the industry. It stars Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon, which is pretty much a terrific cast of actors who truly stand out with outstanding performances that will revolutionize their careers. They’re all brilliant with one another because this is truly one emotional rollercoaster.
Taking place on a remote island in Ireland, Farrell and Gleeson play two lifelong friends named Padraic and Colm, and their lives will forever be changed afterwards. Colm decides to abruptly end their friendship and no longer wishes to speak to his former compadre. And from there, things start happening with severe consequences awaiting both our protagonists. It’s a straightforward premise, but McDonagh elevates it with an incredible script, top-notch direction and brilliant acting performances from Farrell and Gleeson.
As mentioned in the intro, many people know that Farrell is an outstanding actor, but he’s now taking over 2022 by showcasing his versatility and talent. He’s already impressive in his previous movies released this year, and he brings yet another phenomenal performance. If you have followed his acting journey, you should know he’s pretty tremendous in adapting to various roles waiting for him to take on. His chemistry with Gleeson is easily the highlight of the entire story because that’s the whole point. Their relationship makes you care about both of them while also allowing you to understand each of their perspectives. Their conflict heavily explores the themes of emptiness and friendship, which is devastating to witness.
McDonagh does a relatively good job of making you invested from start to finish. He’s one of the directors who can ideally find the right balance between humour and drama, which is challenging. Some scenes will make you laugh, and some will leave you speechless. There is a lot of emotional depth with these people, and it feels like you’re watching a cinematic adaptation of a play on the big screen. The first act wonderfully sets up the tone and vibe of the film. The second act is slow, which will either make or break the movie for you. Some pacing issues sometimes compromise the flow, you can let it go as it starts to pick itself back up. However, the climax is quite suspenseful, which is incredible that it never loses tension.
The Banshees of Inisherin proves a skilful filmmaker can elevate a simple premise with masterful execution. There’s excellent character development with many memorable moments from both Farrell and Gleeson. Most certainly worth seeing with a crowd that enjoys reacting from scene to scene.
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