The Banshees of Inisherin

Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan, David Pearse, Pat Shortt, Aaron Monaghan
Directed by: Martin McDonagh
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama
2022

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A man (Colin Farrell) is stunned when his lifelong friend (Brendan Gleeson) suddenly refuses to be his friend anymore. Despite pleas to move on, he can't let the relationship go.

Review:

Tim: I'm a big Martin McDonagh fan.I really enjoyed his Academy Award winning short film, Six Shooter, have laughed so many times at In Bruges, enjoyed the quirky humor in Seven Psychopaths, and I thought Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri was the best film of 2017. So, any new McDonagh film is a cause for celebration, especially one as universally acclaimed as The Banshees of Inisherin. And indeed, this is a thoroughly good movie. It's one that should win multiple Academy Awards. I enjoyed it immensely, but I never quite loved it. These reviews are always hard to write, because I want to clarify what I didn't love, but don't want the main message to get lost- this is an exceptionally good movie and I'm definitely rooting for it.

McDonagh has always been the king of black humor and that doesn't change here. The Banshees of Inisherin is definitely a dark film, although it's all played for laughs. I thought this approach worked well, especially given McDonagh's sensibilities. I never loved the tone of the movie, though. It felt like something to be endured verses enjoyed. The movie isn't too long at 1 hour, 54 minutes, but it's bleak and heavy. By the end of the film, I felt a physical sense of relief that it was over. McDonagh peppers the film with his trademark humor, but it felt to be in too short supply. He's never outright focused on jokes, but his dialogue is usually brilliant and he creates exchanges that I want to watch again and again. That didn't quite happen here. Sure, there are multiple humorous moments, but even the humor felt too subdued here. I know this is a drama first, but the movie needed more moments of levity. As is, the whole thing feels a bit depressing. As the movie progresses, this wears on you. It took about an hour of the film for me to realize I didn't love the characters or story nearly as much as I'd hoped to. The only potential salvation would be for McDonagh to pull it all together in a brilliant conclusion.

And here's the thing, he nearly does. The ending of the movie is definitely its strongest piece. McDonagh does pull together the various strings for a shattering, powerful conclusion. I never liked the movie as much as I did as it was concluding. But, it's not quite enough. It makes the film thought-provoking and truly effective, but it doesn't launch the movie into greatness. At the end of the movie, I was impressed by what McDonagh crafted here- it felt impossible not to be. But, I didn't love it, I didn't have any desire to ever see the movie again. That felt like a really good (but not great) movie to me.

The cast of this film is outstanding, though. McDonagh's familiarity with Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson pays off, because both are in exceptional form. I've long been a huge Colin Farrell guy, going way back to his American Outlaw days. He's a big name, but I still feel like the depth of his talent isn't given proper credit. He's still never been nominated for an Academy Award, although I hope that is shortly resolved. His performance here was incredible- it's such a flawed, emotional, raw performance. You just connect and understand his character as the story progresses, even as his character continually acts in aggravating, childish ways. Farrell fully embraces this character, including all his flaws. Farrell's comedic timing is as good as ever and he makes this character feel fully human. He absolutely deserves a nomination. Farrell and Gleeson are a match made in heaven and I'd watch them together in anything. Gleeson is another actor who deserves far more praise than he gets. He's one of the all-time greats. He's consistently great in everything he does and that absolutely includes this performance. It's a tough role, but he manages to infuse the character with so much humanity that even when he behaves in insane behavior, you believe him. Gleeson is mesmerizing in this movie and he absolutely deserves a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Gleeson and Farrell were tremendous in In Bruges and their banter and connection is great here. The only downside is that they don't spend as much time together as I'd have liked.

Kerry Condon likewise elevates her character into something truly memorable. Her performance is so authentic and lived in, you can't help but care about her character as the film progresses. She's surrounded by men behaving badly and you become fascinated by this character. She's too good for Inisherin and it's so interesting to see her navigate this world that's not set up for her. I've seen Condon a few times before, but always in smaller role. I love that she got her moment to shine here and I would be pleased if she won an Academy Award. She's that good. Barry Keoghan likewise gives a tremendous performance. I loved his work here. Keoghan has such range as an actor and while Hollywood will continue to cast him in villainous roles, it's remarkable to see him bring a character like this to life. Keoghan is clearly ecstatic about being in this film and infuses that enthusiasm into every scene. His character is awful, but believable. I loved how Keoghan brought out his character's flaws, but never lost sight of who he was or why he was the way he was. That was exceptional work and Keoghan continues to prove he has the ability to be an all-time great actor. If for no other reason, this movie is worth seeing for this cast and the roles that McDonagh crafted to allow them to perform at the top of their game.

This film is expertly made, there's no doubt about that. McDonagh has emerged as one of the best directors working today. His voice, his worldview, his ability to coax out the best performances from his cast- it's all extraordinary. I think McDonagh's films will be must-sees every year and I expect his movies to always be year-end contenders. For me, The Banshees of Inisherin didn't quite connect as powerfully as I expected. I still thoroughly enjoyed the film, but it likely won't make my top 10 of 2022. That's okay, especially because so many others obviously love the film. I think it's definitely a success, a movie I'll be hoping wins multiple awards.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: In Bruges, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Lobster, Thirteen Lives