A tear and a chuckle. This is a great movie about depression and wanting to save a friend from the path you've gone down yourself.
At least that's what I got out of it..
A funny, somber take on the interactions we have and the grudges that can hurt each other and ourselves. I liked it but it didn’t fully wow me
Adored this movie. Solid performances, amazing screenplay, and McDonagh’s most gorgeous looking film to date. All of the actors were fantastic in this. This has to be my favorite film of the year.
One of my favorite moments of the film was Siobhan correcting Colm about Mozart. It shows that Colm was not as smart as he appeared to be, and cracked open his wise old man facade. He was being truthful to about his reasons for tanking the friendship, but his methods for doing so are still bullshit. He is wise, but also bitter and stubborn, and that so he thinks that the key to breaking his monotony is by suffering.
Colm resents Pádraic for being content with his simple life and not being concerned with having a legacy or being remembered beyond those he cares about in life. Colm, due to his frustration with his own existence, concludes that the only reason Pádraic is so content and untroubled is because he is dull and stupid.
Ironically I think Pádraic is actually Colm's muse, after each encounter with an impassioned Pádraic Colm seems to progress with his work on his magnum opus 'The Banshees of Inisherin'.
Moral of the story, in my opinion, is that men create meaningless conflict for contrived reasons and that leads to innocents being hurt (kind of like a civil war).
"It was all going fine until he chopped off all his fingers!"
Seriously a fantastic film. Some of the best acting, direction, writing, and cinematography you’ll see all year. Kerry Condon better win an Oscar for this.
Honestly, I can't understand what was so great about The Banshees of Inisherin. Did I watch the same movie as everyone else? My feelings about it are the same as Siobhán's feelings about the men on Inisherin. I'm always aching for original stories in Hollywood so maybe I hyped this movie up a lot in my head.
Nothing really happens in this film except for the complete overuse of the word 'feckin' (officially the most annoying word in the lexicon after this movie). I'm fine with films where 'nothing happens' but this never went anywhere.
I got the metaphor and the point, I understand the allegory and comparison to Ireland in the civil war, and how people don't change and would rather 'cut off their own fingers' to admit they were wrong, and I can appreciate the themes the script is trying to explore but that's just it, it tried and failed miserably at that. This movie is another case of when a film is more concerned with working on a metaphorical level that it forgets that it needs to work on a literal level as well, there’s got to be a line between expressing a metaphor and making an entertaining film.
The film felt very tedious and exhausting. Dialogue is not awful not great. The Banshees of Inisherin has no plot and an unexplained conflict, it drags the audience along in anticipation of an explanation for what's going on. I'm fine with leaving things unexplained to give people the chance to use their own imaginations but it's just that I expect there to be some sort of narrative conclusion when I go along with a story of a man cutting off his fingers for no sensible reason.
I can't really ding any of the technical aspects like cinematography, writing, and music, they are great but the whole package was kind of dull. I didn't feel one single emotion throughout the whole movie and didn't even realize it was a drama/comedy because I didn't chuckle even once. If you laugh when you hear someone say 'feckin' or 'miniature donkey', this movie is just for you.
The Banshees of Inisherin is pretty much a character study of 2 very boring and annoying people, who act like middle schoolers for almost 90 minutes, and we know nothing about them, which means that movie is really boring to watch. Colm's motivation to stop being friends with Padraic is very childish. I would have really liked to see their relationship or what a conversation of theirs was like before Colm made this decision. I absolutely didn't care about none of them. Colin Ferrell and Brendan Gleeson are good but absolutely not a standout performance.
I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but this film just didn't really do it for me. I was probably expecting too much.
A simple story but incredibly layered dealing with loneliness, existentialism, loss, friendship, self-discovery and the consequences - or rather the cost of ending a relationship. It hit close to home for me and affected me in ways I didn't expect. I think anyone who's lost touch with a friend before will relate to this. There's also some clever dark humor mixed in that made me laugh like the bread van scene and the Irish accent (good thing there's subtitles because it's hard to understand). The landscapes are absolutely gorgeous, great score, camerawork, it sets it's atmosphere from the very beginning and the acting: I don't think i've ever seen Colin Farrell so good and Brendan Gleeson's superb. The contrast between their two characters is what makes this work and creates a satisfying balance: similar to a lot of friendships! The ending felt too sudden.
Not dull in the slightest ayd say, a feckin' good movie!
4/10 very disappointed by this super depressing simple allegorical story about someone who decides to shun their friend, but then harms himself to make a point... and I guess the point the movie makes is that our resentments or self righteousness really end up hurting ourselves as well others. But why does SUCH A NEGATIVE movie need to be made to make such a basic point. The acting was great, but sheesh, I did not enjoy that AT ALL.
Like being gifted a silk camisole, it wasn't meant for me but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy it.
Beautifully shot and extremely well acted, The Banshees of Inisherin left me feeling a bit dim that I didn't know more about the Irish Civil War.
[8.0/10] The strange thing about The Banshees of Inisherin is that, on the surface, it’s a very down to earth film. Writer-director Martin McDonagh and cinematographer Ben Davis find any number of scenic gorgeous vistas to shoot off the Irish coast, painterly compositions to frame the characters within, and the glint of natural lighting to make it all look perfect. But despite all that craft behind the scenes, the fictional berg of Inisherin seems like a genuine, unshowy place, with visuals that highlight the hardscrabble nature of the place surrounded by such beauty. It feels real and regular amid all the artistry at play.
The same goes for the film’s central performances, which come off lived-in and genuine. Longtime collaborator Colin Farrell has aged appropriately into a character actor, pouring himself into poor Pádraic, a dim but thoroughly nice everyman who struggles with the end of his closest friendship. Brendan Gleeson is a pithy open wound as his former best Colm, with every small expression giving the sense of a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Kerry Condon is lively but sharp as Pádraic’s sister, Siobhán, who’s too smart for this town full of gossipy dullards, but does her best to hold it together anyway. And even the most outsized character in the bunch, Dominic, the local dope (played by Barry Keoghan) is recognizable as a the sort of poor schmuck with no tact but the kind of problems at home that make him sympathetic anyway. Each brings a naturalistic approach in their acting that makes these characters, their conflicts, and their relationships feel real and textured, which is essential for such a character-driven piece.
When Pádraic sits and feels the weight of his loneliness, when Colm gives a ten-thousand yard stare and contemplates his dwindling years, when Siobhán grows teary-eyed at embarking on a new life and leaving her brother behind, when Dominic gets rejected and you see the sincere heart beneath the gormless exterior, you feel the relatable emotions and convincing predicaments of them all. You’d never mistake The Banshees of Inisherin for a documentary, but its unshowy approach gives it the sense of something grounded and authentic.
And yet, at the same time, the film is more than a touch absurd, more than a touch outsized, more than a touch treating its story like a fable as much as a genuine tale of four people’s experiences on an Irish island in the middle of nowhere. Real people don’t gradually cut their own fingers off and throw them at a neighbor’s doorstep to convince them to leave them alone. Real people don’t lose their favorite miniature donkeys due to choking on an ex-pal’s digit, only to declare the date and time when they’ll burn the offender’s house down (but not before saving the dog, of course). Hell, real people probably don’t go from being a dear friend to someone to “Never talk to me again because you’re so dull that you’re wasting my remaining time on this earth” from one day to the next either.
Amid all the trappings of reality in The Banshees of Inisherin, it is, at heart, a larger-than life tall tale. There’s a very writerly quality to the plot, with the characters taking dramatic or bizarre actions that the others in the story mostly take in stride. As recognizable as Pádraic, Colm, Siobhán, and Dominic seem, they’re also walking symbols for bigger ideas about what we should value in our fellow man, and what we overlook in them. When you step back and survey the film, there’s not nearly as much reality in it as you might think, but there’s plenty of truth.
Some of the unreality comes from McDonagh’s trademark black comedy. Pádraic fending off a potential rival for Colm’s friendship by telling him that his father’s been struck by a bread truck, only to discover that the poor sod’s mother was killed by a bread truck, is a completely absurd but utterly hilarious twist. A bleak line like, “It was all going fine until he chopped off all his fingers” is, somehow, a laugh riot. And Siobhán justified beleaguered disbelief at the madness all around her brings the laughs from her reactions alone. The chuckles here are dark as all get out, but strangely, that manages to make the comedy better and help buttress a story that borders on magical realism in places.
The breaks from reality help serve a bigger idea at play here. For all his being dull, Pádraic is a good man. He looks out for Dominic. He stands up to Dominic’s dad. He misses his sister. And he loves a little miniature donkey whom he’d like to keep in his house. No one will remember Pádraic. He’ll leave no mark on history. But perhaps there’s more to life than that, and preserving that sort of goodness in the world, if only for one unremarkable lifetime, is worth more than putting something into the world that will last for centuries.
That seems to be the arc of Colm, who wants to eschew Pádraic’s friendship so that he can focus on achieving something grand in his waning years, only to see the trouble caused, the nice man he corrupts, through his not-so-benign neglect. At one point in the film, the priest intercedes on Pádraic’s behalf, and Colm asks if not talking to his one time friend is a sin. The answers in the negative, but you get a sense that through such peculiar events, such drastic choices across the board, that lead to a broken man left without those who gave his life meaning, Colm starts to regret his actions, his putting legacy over decency, given the tragedies great and small that follow.
The Emerald Isle patter mixed with layman’s philosophy, the layered characters who make grandiose gestures, the humble setting interspersed with absurd, sometimes tragic events, give The Banshees of Inisherin a poetic, almost lyrical quality. It sneaks in its outsized meditation on what we should value in one another and ourselves through signifiers to make a ridiculous situation feel as real as it is poignant. The film roots itself in the low-to-the-ground lives of four simple people and the humble world they inhabit. But it uses that setting, and that tone, as a springboard to reach for something wild and transcendent beneath it, and within.
The scene between Dominic and Siobhan at the lake broke my heart.
One of the most memorable and intellectually provocative films I've seen in a long time. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, but those who watch this movie open to what it has to say will be rewarded with a story and characters that stay with you, and can even lead you to reconsider how you're living your own life. The pacing, acting, cinematography, and soundtrack are all top-notch. If you can handle the dark and somewhat depressing themes that McDonagh addresses, you'll discover one of the best films in recent years.
Part tragedy and part comedy. Part fable and part truth. The Banshees of Inisherin is an evocative men-gone-wrong tale with some terrific acting. Kerry Condon's performance is particularly standout.
It was ok, but It still left me disappointed. I was quite invested and liked it till the middle. I really liked the slow buildup. However, it just continues to be slow to the end with a okay end. I watched it in the cinema, and it was ok to watch it to the end. At home I would have turned it off probably.
The Banshees of Inisherin” explores the war from a distance by focusing on a village that was not directly involved, yet there was a shift in the mentality and desire of the people. At moments, it’s incredibly sad compounded by the brilliant acting of the onscreen characters.
Set in 1923, the Irish civil war unfolds in the background of “The Banshees of Inisherin.”
The constant need to be productive is the curse of modernity. The film explores how the shift in the economic structure and political condition affected the characters, especially Colm (Brendan Gleeson). The existential crisis experienced by Colm as a result of old age and the onset of war, gradually transforms into an existential nihilistic mindset (the chopping off of fingers). War changed him, and he was caught up in the unavoidable bleakness of existence. In one scene, he confesses to the priest that he suffered from despair, which was directly related to the war. He had accepted that he could die at any moment and that nothing in life was certain. But that acceptance came at the cost of losing all hope. With no hope, he questions his friendship with Padraic (Colin Farrell) which leads to shocking developments in the later half.
It's a great comedy, especially the first half. Visuals are stunning and captures the 1920s Ireland in a brilliant way. You'll love the beach, the green pastures, and of course, the animals. Superb camerawork and script.
I'm laughing - all the cinephiles will have to give this movie a stellar review because the acting, directing, screenplay, thematic analysis, cinematography etc is top-notch - it's a high-quality movie. But in terms of "feel good", it's absolutely horrible. Ebert sometimes would give shitty movies good reviews and high-quality movies bad reviews just based on the way they made him feel, and I wonder if he would have only given this 1 or 2 stars.
I apologize in advance, as I know my comment is gonna be long and won't help anyone decide whether or not they should watch this, but I just need to put this out.
I just finished watching this movie and I, in good honesty, don't know what to make of it...It made me cringe constantly, it almost made me cry, made me laugh, made me facepalm, made me feel anxious, made me feel claustrophobic, made me empathize with the main characters and their struggles, but it also made me wish some of them would die at some point. The pacing, the acting, the cinematography, it all fits the narrative of what I imagine would be to live in such a small Irish island back then. (except for the finger chopping part. Wasn't expecting all of that).
I'm still not sure if, to me, it makes sense all the high ratings and so many Golden Globes nominations but it's definitely one of those movies that get you thinking, specially, for me, that, no matter how frustrating Pádraic was (and damn he was! Dominic was much clever than him), Colm can't make him responsible for his own actions in that way.
I guess my rating would be: made me feel things and left me very confused.
An exploration of friendship, depression, and life in general that is equal parts darkly hilarious and thought provoking. Complex characters. Unique relationship dynamics. Compelling/hilarious dialogue (when you can understand it through the heavy accents, lol). Brilliant performances. Beyond the broad praise, I particularly enjoyed the brother/sister relationship between Colin Farrell and Kerry Condon. Simultaneously wholesome and tragic.
All the positives are somewhat offset by a dragging pace and a conclusion that was less than satisfying for me. Call me sentimental/sappy if you like, but I was really rooting for a reconciliation. Also, I think the film overuses repetition as a proxy for humor. It's still effective in many scenes, but it felt too frequent.
Aye, this one's a proper fecking art fellas, mind you.
I'm just gonna start the whole review by talking about the scenery in the movie, like holy shit it was so fecking beautiful. The camera angles, the cinematography. I could smell atmosphere of the hills through my screen, Jaysus.
It's a slow burn story about grudges, very down to earth and plain simple, but it's done so well. The humour is sharp as it gets, and the characters are one of the biggest strength of the movie apart from the scenery. It's got twists and turns and everything you think will happen in this movie, will not happen and that kept me guessing and wanting for more. I went in expecting a funny movie like 'In Bruges' and boy was I wrong.
That said, if ye're lookin' for a slow burn film equally funny as it is emotional, grab a pint sit back relax and give 'Banshees of Inisherin' a try, now if ye'll excuse me I've gotta get meself a feckin' miniature donkey, like.
Might I say, even better than In Bruges. Brendan Gleeson is one of the best actors ever and Colin Farrell shines in this.
I was excited to see The Banshees of Inisherin when I learned of it. I have enjoyed each Martin McDonagh movie, especially In Bruges, which brings back Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. I love movies with interesting conflicts. In the case of Banshees, I was really curious where the film was going to go after reading: "Two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them."
After finishing the film, I initially struggled to understand the conflict and some of the choices. However, the more I thought about it, I think I've come to terms on why Colm (played by Gleeson) did the things he did. Putting the story on an island off the main Ireland, which is going through a Civil War, was an inspired choice to put a Civil War between these two friends.
The story is compelling but very intellectual. For anyone just looking for entertainment, it's probably way too cerebral. It questions friendship, obligation, pitty, family, dedication, kindness and how far is too far and even madness.
It provides no direct answers to any of it, just a flicker in a couple of weeks of what the outcome of the excessive mundane might be.
The acting is superb. Casting was spot on. The locations are beautiful. The script was amazing. The directing and editing came together well. It might be a little too cerebral or leave just a little too much to question or I'd have given it a 10, probably really a 9.5. Everything you need for a cerebral movie.
Now that was fecken brilliant, definitely worth my time, loved the plot, the script had a great sense of humour and had me in giggles at times also a little tear a moments and i think that’s the best performance I’ve seen from colin farrel, just fantastic! loved it!
This movie was fecken boring. Way overhyped and unworthy of so many nominations. :clown::wastebasket:
It's a bit dull, with laughter and rancour along the way, before the inevitable.
Half the time felt like I was on Craggy Island, and at others waiting for Michael Collins to turn up.
Okay, here's my "film review" for The Banshees of Inisherin: Don't watch this movie. I'm not saying that in a "reverse psychology way" or some clever attempt to get you to watch this. I mean don't watch this movie. It's not one of the TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2022, despite what people are saying. Yes, it's shot beautifully and yes the actors are great and the location is great. No, don't see this movie because it's so freaking depressing, I had to go watch Schindler's List TWICE to cheer me up. Wow.
You know how people say "there's two hours I'll never get back" when they waste time watching a movie with no redeeming value? This is worse. Here's the plot: "In old timey Ireland, mean and depressing people do mean and depressing things to each other before things take a turn into horrible, please-erase-this-from-my-brain land." This movie isn't a waste of time--it's actively depressing, not something we need more of in our time. Things are depressing enough already without ACTIVELY seeking out things that will bring you down. For example, a friend of mine is always trying to get me to watch the Walking Dead series, and I tell him he's fecking crazy: "why would I want to see people being mean to each other on purpose for an endless number of hours without any redemption arc?" I mean, why are we all obsessed with these movies that preach how horrible life is? What am I supposed to take away from these stories? We're all worthless and nothing matters? Life is depressing? I can find that on Tik Tok.
Okay, I'm wrapping up this review with the following: you know how you felt after watching "Irreversible" or "Raw" or "Battlefield: Earth?" Here's what I said: "Wow, I wish I had never seen that because now I have these images in my mind I can't get rid of." That's what this movie is. If you want to ruin someone's day, recommend this movie and gush over the cinematography and the acting and how beautiful the landscapes are. Just don't be surprised if they call you up later and tell you off for recommending this depressing waste of film.
Brendan Gleeson is one of my favorite actors so it pains me to say that this was god awful.
Not every life situation makes an interesting story. This was dull and excruciatingly boring.
It's excellently made and brilliantly performed but it's a movie I doubt I'd ever want to see again.
[HBO Max] On the other side of the island of Inisherin, a civil war between the Irish is taking place: "It was easier when we were all fighting the English," says the violent and abusive policeman. But on the island this conflict is represented through a melancholic story about the end of a friendship that is perfectly performed, a fable that unfolds at a leisurely pace, stopping at landscapes and music, and establishing a parallel between the complex relationships between humans and the sincere relationships between men and animals. It is a new success from director Martin McDonagh, a simple story from which you cannot take your eyes off, a look at the "slow passage of time" with the sympathy and restlessness that his characters give off. And certainly all the actors are fine, but again you have to wonder if Barry Keoghan is the best actor of his generation.
I was gonna proclaim this the best feckin dark comedy since In Bruges, not realizing who the writer/ director of this was, and now Martin McDonagh is my favorite writer/director.
When I read it was sad and funny I didn't think it was going to happen at the same time, you'll laugh at jokes while simultaneously crying from sadness. How is that even possible. Top-notch acting, cinematography, writing, directing. Close to perfection for me.
Great work by all. McDonagh simply does not miss. A smaller movie than his other three features, but this isn't a negative here. Pitch black comedy that contains some horror elements and solid drama throughout. 8.4 for me.
I believe in Barry Keoghan supremacy
First half an hour a bit boring, the rhythm is mostly maintained by the multiple dark jokes made every now and them, not always centered. Then the drama kicks in well, though some developments are not so logical. Ok overall, could have been better.
the irish accent dialogue was funny from start to finish, and great acting from Collin Farrell, went into this movie with zero expectations but ended up surprised, in many senses
Clearly a movie that will really appeal to many voting for movie awards, I thought the movie solid even if I’m not the target audience. Acting and plot is solid and some shots are absolutely beautiful, it’s an easy one to recommend to many.
Rating: 3.5/5 - 8/10 - Would Recommend
“It was easier when we killed only the English eh”
That’s the key to the movie. The friendship of Colm and Padraig is a mirror for the Irish Civil War - Colm wants to hurt his friend but doesn’t realize that he’s hurting himself even more.
Cannons and shots can be heard every time the feud between the two friends escalates. In the end, when all is quiet, we get an open ended interpretation.
So yes - the movie is beautifully shot, and it works on a metaphorical level.
However, despite my love for Martin McDonagh… it kinda falls flat from a narrative perspective, and the characters of the story aren’t so interesting - the heavy lifting is all on the astonishing performances by Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon and a masterful performance by Barry Keoghan who was insanely good. But there’s very little meat on these bones and really with lesser actors we would have seen how thin the plot and character was.
It could’ve been a shorter play and have more emotional impact maybe. A film to watch, but that won’t be rewatched.
6.5
I need a prequel to this movie just to see what sparked this tragic breakup. Also, I need a sequel to see how this tragic breakup ends, like how many more fingers will be lost? Also, that donkey was best character.
The trailer was intriguing and I saw it being praised a lot during award season so gave this one a try. I was struggling a bit while deciphering the message and had to check a few YouTube videos. Then when I saw it in context, even the most troubling acts started to make sense.
It's an allegory about depression.
Pádraic and Colm are friends. If not lifelong, considering the age gap, they are still close for quite many years. All of a sudden Colm, the elder one, decides that he has nothing to do with Pádraic any longer. He stops being friends with Pádraic completely. When Pádraic insists on knowing the reason, Colm threatens to cut off his own fingers one after the other each time Pádraic initiates a conversation with him.
This awful clause made the suspension of disbelief very hard, but I pressed on and am thankful for it. While as an audience member, it is hard to come to terms with such a morbid turn of events, upon deeper thinking it does not sound so far-fetched. There is no clear statement about depression or loneliness, yet the uneasiness remains thick in the atmosphere throughout the proclamation of the amputation.
The movie was filmed on Achill Island. Situated off the west coast of Ireland. In many frames, aerial or otherwise, this island looks spellbinding. The fields, sea and the subtle fog indicating the perfect weather are all part of the setting. Yet, the characters are not happy. The primary characters except Pádraic have some or the other form of longing. Pádraic is leisurely comfortable in his way of life. He thinks little and expects even less. Colm's friendship, his sister and his pet donkey are enough to call a life for him. He does not think beyond. Those who read and are intelligent grow restless in the slow speed of life.
In one of the YouTube videos I saw, Mrs McCormick was labelled as the personification of depression and how she must be faced and not be run away from. While the movie never says anything about depression, when looking through that lens the extent to which Colm goes is understandable. The video claims that the reason why Colm forces himself away from Pádraic is to force his friend to do something for himself, probably leave the island for good and explore other opportunities. It's worth watching the movie to see if that happens or not, but that was the closest explanation to his proclamation that I could find.
I wonder if making rational sense is a faculty that remains with someone who is suffering from serious depression. Colm is an older guy and his prime years are behind him, so when he sees the only thing tethering younger Pádraic to the island is his friendship, at least from his side, he decides to end things. Colm, considering his aloof nature, does not explain any of this clearly, which makes Pádraic edgier as the movie progresses.
I loved the acting of all three leads. Colin Farrell is phenomenal. I have seen him in multiple films and seen a variation. The last I saw him was The Penguin in Batman. From that to this earnest simpleton is a great range of performances. Brendon Gleeson and Kerry Condon are good too. I liked how steadfast and yet emotional Kerry portrays Siobhán.
It is a meditative drama, which starts slow like the pace on the island, after the strange pact is uttered, the movie goes emotionally topsy-turvy but remains fairly meditative throughout.
Inside of all of us there are three Irishman
1) The one who is talented but unsatisfied who can be a real rude bastard and is ultimately self destructive in his behavior
2) The one who is modest, persistent, and kind but dull and lazy, prone to hurt feelings over very little
3) The drunk creep who no one likes even though they're funny as hell
maybe it's good but couldn't get past the first 10 min it was slow and boring
Surprisingly funny and hilariously shocking. #OscarForJenny
First off, I don’t typically get into dramas much especially time pieces. I will say the acting was quite good but the film was strange. At least I now know it’s appropriate to cut off my fingers and throw them at peoples doors when I’m annoyed with them.
I loved every minute of it until I watched it a second time. Don´t get me wrong, this movie is great, but as soon as I watched it a second time it was, like Padraic, dull. Every minute felt like a drag and it progresses really slowly. And that's ok because when something happens it´s brilliant and so you´re just excited for what comes next. And of course, the slow pace of the movie is connected with the slow pace of life on a small island like this. But I think it´s getting worse if you watch it again.
A little too weird and depressing for me. Gorgeous scenery, and very well cast. Losing your mind while living in a small remote village makes sense, and these characters definitely reached their limits. But just so bizarre.
A very strange film. Very beautiful photos.
Excellent. Riveting. Moves the heart to love, betrayal and disfain.
It helped me fall asleep on a long hour flight
Great acting, amazing visuals but also a very depressing story in the end. Good film though.
Amazing. I'm glad i didn't see this at the cinema as planned as having subtitles really revealed the beauty of the dialogue. One of the funniest films of the year, as well as being dark and powerful. Admittedly, I half expected Father Dougal to appear at any moment, but that's not a bad thing.
"What's the opposite of licks?"
I saw this up for an Oscar and stopped watching them so I could watch this movie.. it looks great!
The meanest man in the Island is who killed Jenny.
Great film, just I was hoping for more folklore.
Its a hauntingly beautiful film that draws you in with its stunning visuals and keeps you captivated with its gripping storyline. The cinematography is exquisite, capturing the stark beauty of the Irish landscape and the rugged, windswept coastlines.
The film's haunting score adds to its eerie atmosphere, making for an immersive and unforgettable cinematic experience.
So, is the whole thing supposed to be an allegory of the Irish civil war? My understanding of the subject matter is extremely limited, yet the movie still offered a lot to reflect upon from a more universal perspective. It can also be enjoyed as a modern take on allegoric folk tales if not classic tragedies, with sharp dialogues and pitch-black humor that doesn’t rely on the usual quips.
I’m ashamed to say that despite being more of a Colm kind of person, Padraic’s role as the bright side of the moon didn’t shake me as much as I would have expected. I kept going through the whole second half expecting some life-changing considerations to kick in at some point, but the movie went instead for a more ambiguous and less judgmental approach against all expectations.
I thought it would be a deeper story with more interesting characters. But it left me with a deep sense of disturbance.
So many layers to peel.. A slow burn that keeps you riveted straight through the end. You will not stop talking about it!
Excellent cast.. Strong story, and fantastic performances.
Martin McDonagh knocks it out of the park!
8/10
Stunning performances from the entire cast, with sharp, witty, and hilarious writing.
I absolutely love the Banshees of Inisherin. It is a thought provoking story, beautifully shot, that will stir all of your emotions. This is a film I will enjoy revisiting again and again.
Think I cried more than I laughed, and I'm sure as hell left with a pit of sorrow at the end.
It is easy enough to love each of the characters.
Give it a few days and I have to re-watch their earlier film together, just to take this taste out of my mouth. Fecking hell.
There are a handful of movies that can tell us a lot about one's choice in movies. For a long time that movie was The Station Agent for me - I would recommend it to someone and wait for their reaction to it. I don't necessarily want to hear if they like it or didn't like it. I wanted to see at what level they appreciated the film.
In this movie the premise is simple: a man decides that he has had enough of another man, who is his friend. The film never strays far from this theme. I can see that some people watched this film and thought "nothing happens in this movie", and that's a shame, because so much happened in this movie if you peel pack the layers. I also can't remember the last time that I saw such a well-acted movie. Gleeson and Farrel are always fantastic together, but I can't recall Firth being better than he is in this role. And the supporting actors.... just incredible.
And on top of everything else, it is an unbelievable movie to look at.
Follow me at https://IHATEBadMovies.com or facebook IHATEBadMOvies
The plot of The Banshees of Inisherin is simple, but always keeps you engaged. The story revolves around the abrupt end of a lifelong friendship between two men on an Irish island in 1923. There is no true catalyst. Colm (Brendan Gleeson) just suddenly finds his best friend Pádraic (Colin Farrell) dull and no longer wants to hang out with him. Because there is nothing else to do on Inisherin, this is a disaster for the latter.
Since this is a Martin McDonagh film, there is a lot of black humor, a lot of tragedy, and an increasing escalation of the overall situation. This works well throughout, and the ending is also satisfying. As a setting for this story, the island is great. McDonagh perfectly captures the stunning scenery. The film is carried by some fantastic performances. Farrell? Excellent! Gleeson? Mesmerizing! Barry Keoghan? Strange, as usual! In addition, Kerry Condon is also convincing as Pádraic's sister Siobhán in an important supporting role.
The Banshees of Inisherin is really great cinema. There are no comparable films. McDonagh has once again proven that he is a master of his craft.
The Banshees of Inisherin is an odd movie full of odd characters that is excellently done. The acting is quite good and watches almost more like an on-screen play than it does a movie, but it's worth the watch. This, for me, is a one-time watch, because once you've seen it you've seen it, but it's not the worst way to spend a couple of hours one evening.
Really enjoyed this movie.
Collin Farrell & Brendan Gleeson are at their best in this. Barry Keoghan was great as the almost third wheel in the friendship.
Great writing, great acting and a lovely location.
If you're not Irish (I'm not) you really have to pay attention to what they're saying - loads of funny gems in the banter.
Solid 8.5/10
An achingly sad yet surprisingly funny black comedy that edges further and further into tragedy as it goes, the Banshees of Inisherin just drops you into so many mindsets and atmospheres. The 'boring' niceness of Padraic, akin to a wounded puppy, and how when that wound bleeds too deep that puppy can become vicious. The bitter self loathing of Colm reflected outward onto everything else, a desperate and futile measure that in the end changes nothing he hoped it would. And Inisherin itself, just as unchanging and monotonous, but too familiar in ways Padaric loves and Colm hates for either of them to just leave. The cast kill it, the direction is intimate with both them and the setting itself, and it is utterly riveting. True to its namesake, it left me enraptured.
The best acting I have seen in a film all year. The writing is on a par with the acting - funny, bleak, shocking, suprising - sublime!
A simple, even more valuable story about longing for life as it could be. But not everyone understands this, and only a few try to change it. It turns out differently, but everyone has their own island. It is also about friendship that gave crack. Very powerful, knocked out a tear. And it’s true that these fingers are yours
I wanted this movie to be much better :(
Surprisingly witty, while somehow bleak, crushing and exhausting; The Banshees of Inishirin really is a microcosm of human relationships and the complexeties of peoples characters. Much is said here through a "show, don't tell" form of story telling and I absolutely adored it. The film also had me laughing out loud on a number of occasions, which was surprising considering the heavy topics and themes that are tackled. There is so much nuance to this fairly simple narrative, it's almost begging for a second viewing, and I might just oblige. Everyone puts on a great performance, Farrell and Keoghan especially, but Gleeson and Condon are no slouches either. The cinematography of the Irish vistas is also absolutely stunning, bringing a sense of awe to this almost crushing tragedy.
I hope this gets some recognition during award season and doesn't get overlooked. It might be front runner for my favourite movie of the year so far.
Edit: I've just finished my second viewing and yeah, this is Best Picture. What an absolutely phenomenal movie from top to bottom.
Please go watch it. GREAT MOVIE :heart:
This film fucked me up. I had no desire to see a man play a fiddle with 4 fingers let alone see him swing it around with just a palm. I have to admit that I was rooting for reconciliation between the two lads but knew it wasn’t coming.
The cinematography was gorgeous. I have never seen a film so beautiful in my life. The cast was perfect, the setting was perfect, the coloring of the film was perfect; everything was perfect.
In terms of directing, this film is legitimately perfect. Some of the most unique cinematography I've seen in a long time, one of those movies where every shot tells an entire story with no words. The acting was also fantastic of course, Colin Farrell deserves more roles like this. That said, I think the writing and dialogue could've used a bit more time in the oven. While certainly not bad, it can feel a little too simple for my liking. The characters were great despite this though, especially Colm. While this film isn't for everybody I loved it, and will certainly be watching it again.
Review by Matthew Luke BradyBlockedParentSpoilers2022-11-18T21:51:11Z
"I do worry sometimes I might just be entertaining myself while staving off the inevitable."
The Banshees of Inisherin is one of the saddest breakup movies since Marriage Story. Well...in the film, they are not a romantic couple, but Padraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson) were good friends, until one day their friendship ends abruptly, just because Colm decides that despite there being no bad blood between them, he does not like him anymore. The reason is: you are dull. In some ways, friendships are like relationships; it starts with the strong bonds you form with each other until that feeling towards them is not the same, and you no longer like/love them anymore.
I mean, everything was fine yesterday.
A strange occurrence that is not explainable but does happen. I believe it starts when one person changes while the other doesn’t. In the movie, Colm is a wise and articulated older man with an artistic ambition that he never acted on and never stopped to think about getting older. Living on a small remote island off the west coast of Ireland, where everybody is freaking boring and gossiping little bitches who love to stick their noses in other people's business and drama, because there is nothing else to do on the island. The movie does a fantastic job of giving you the impression that living on this rock slowly kills you on the inside. While being a supporting character, this is the dilemma with Colm. He does the same thing every day with his ex-friend, going to the pub at two pm and talking endlessly about meaningless crap and nonsense, and who knows what else happens the rest of the day, which is not that interesting, I assume.
The end of their friendship is hard to watch because it leaves the audience with everlasting pain. Brendan Gleeson is remarkable as the desperate and often cold Colm.
Despite what film Twitter tries to tell you, Martin McDonagh has yet to make a bad movie. In the same vein as Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, whenever McDonagh makes a new movie, I am 100% there. Every movie this guy has made has been brilliant, and Banshees is no different. A dark comedy at its finest cause you know when things go so wrong to the point it gets funny. Well, Martin McDonagh's movies are like that.
The writing is superb and has plenty of dry humour. The film-making is not anything grand or flashy; some comment on how stagy it is, but I do not feel it needs to be a technical marvel. With that said, there are some beautiful shots of the landscape of Ireland.
Comparing his work in The Batman early this year and this movie proves that Colin Farrell is one of the finest working actors. His character Pádraic Súilleabháin is a dim-minded, polite man who, unlike Colm, has found peace and happiness in his daily life. Farrell brings a child-like vulnerability to the character, where everything he does or says can be funny and depressing. His character arc is incredibly heart-rending.
Pádraic sister, played by Kerry Cordon, another standout performance, and some of her line delivery has implanted itself in my head. Her character Siobhan is trying to find the ultimate purpose in her life, echoing the problems that Colm is facing, which the two get along like a house on fire.
Barry Keoghan plays Dominic, and out of all the characters in the story, he lives the worst life under his abusive father. Keoghan continues to be an excellent actor who is on a winning streak. The character of Dominic is a playful and childish man, but the tragedy of the character is that he is lost in this life and has nowhere to call home, often appearing at the most random of places during odd times.
The score from Carter Burwell immerses you in this story and contributes to the stunning visuals.
Overall rating: On paper, a simple concept of a friendship breaking up, but its approach to mental illness, kindness, art, masculinity, and our inevitable death was strikingly profound. At times, it felt like Shakespeare mixed with the Brothers Grim tale.
It is one of the best movies of 2022.