"The Banshees of Inisherin" is a movie that could only come from the mind of Martin McDonagh. The writer-director remains a singular talent, whose dialogue jumps off the screen and becomes the star of the show. His latest is no different.
Colin Farrell stars as Pádraic, who lives on the fictional Irish island Inisherin with his sister Siobhan (Kerry Condon, who is quietly terrific amongst the two lead performances). Every afternoon, Pádraic summons his friend Colm (Brendan Gleeson) to go to the pub for a drink (Pádraic tends to drink a few too many pints on any given day). Nothing seems out of the ordinary to Pádraic, but Colm informs him he won't be drinking with him today. Or tomorrow. Or any time after that because Colm no longer wishes to be friends.
Pádraic is stunned by Colm's wish to be left alone and end their friendship, but is determined to change the course of his decision. The island is small, so Pádraic and Colm are always going to see each other, but Colm is content to walk by without stealing a glance while Pádraic is ready to hash out whatever differences they may have in the middle of the road.
Farrell and Gleeson established their great chemistry in McDonagh's 2008 movie "In Bruges" and nothing has changed in the 14 years that have passed. Farrell does some of his best work here as Pádraic (he won a top acting prize at the Venice Film Festival, which positions him nicely within the upcoming awards season). He runs the gamut of clueless and determined because he willfully ignores Colm's wishes but doesn't want their friendship to end.
Working with directors like McDonagh or Yorgos Lanthimos (who directed Farrell in "The Lobster" and "The Killing of a Sacred Deer") has been the best career shift for Farrell. He spent the majority of the 2000s establishing himself as a brooding leading man in empty action pictures, but working with more story-oriented filmmakers has unlocked a new dimension. Gleeson, who is always great, plays a gruff version of his screen persona with a palpable and heartbreaking world-weariness.
The actors are great because McDonagh's screenplay gives them rich, entertaining and frequently funny dialogue to find life within. McDonagh is known for his work in the theater and that sensibility has translated to his movies, which are often contained to minimal locations (especially "Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri" and "The Banshees of Inisherin"). He creates insular worlds and makes them expansive through the characters, which gives the setting its history.
The reasons for Colm's actions aren't explicitly spelled out, but they don't have to be. He offers some baseline reasons as to why he wouldn't want to spend time with Pádraic any longer, but is that enough to end a years-long friendship? McDonagh knows how to underscore his biting humor with a sense of melancholy, and "The Banshees of Inisherin" demonstrates the role that time can play amongst friends. Colm is steadfast in his reasons, but there's a sense that time has made the men go in different directions and now he's just scrambling for reasons to cut ties with Pádraic. It's a notion people may identify with during the movie. "The Banshees of Inisherin" is one of the best movies of the year.
"The Banshees of Inisherin" begins a limited release Oct. 21 before expanding nationwide.
The Banshees of Inisherin Movie Review
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