The Banshees of Inisherin

A completely unconventional film about friendship that begins with the fact that the friendship suddenly ends unilaterally. Of playwright Martin McDonagh's films to date, The Banshees of Inisherin is by far the most intimate and reminiscent of a stage play, so don't expect any dynamic action. The alternation of humour (often very black) and depressing themes has always been a strength of this British screenwriter and director, but this is a roller coaster of contradictory emotions that, despite the numerous bursts of laughter at the end, will leave you totally depressed. The performances of all involved are superb, especially Colin Farrell's incredible portrayal of the guileless and headstrong Irish misfit. (04/10/2022)

A pleasant, cruel conversational movie about the fact that sometimes you can simply hate your neighbour for no apparent reason. There isn’t anything especially deep about it; it’s just a pleasantly thick stout with white foam in the form of a great central duo and a setting that’s as hearty as its inhabitants. (14/01/2023)

The (un)official final part of the free trilogy from the Aran Islands. Of McDonagh’s works, this the closest to his theatre roots, which is a problem. McDonagh is a better writer than director and a better playwright than screenwriter, and as a film director, he tries to hide the distinct theatricality of the script, which is a mistake, it would be better if he accepted it for what it is. It is a minor detail, but coupled with the fact that it's not the best part of the trilogy, which also as a whole is overshadowed by the Leenan trilogy, means that The Bahsees of Inisherin feels like a tiny step backwards for McDonagh as a writer and as a director. Since his film debut, I've wanted him to be closer to his roots in style and substance, and this confirms the proverbial "be careful what you wish for, it might come true". But does any of this mean it's not excellent or perhaps superbly acted? Not at all. (07/02/2023)

Though I expected a more interesting and more powerful ending, The Banshees of Inisherin is still a great study of unconventional characters with an unconventional conflict in an unconventional, heavily atmospheric setting. The film is playfully tragicomic and unpredictable, as action and reaction are determined by two incompatible villagers from the end of the Earth who are passively squandering their lives. The first half is masterfully written and directed. However, the actual question of how their problem will be resolved in the first half is more entertaining than its resolution in the second half. Colin Farrell is again excellent and Carter Burwell (the Coen brothers’ court composer) is great, as is the setting, which is itself an important character in the film. (19/01/2023)

The Banshees of Inisherin begins as a tale of inflated ego, but grows into an otherworldly tale of kindness and vanity. Farrell and Gleeson excel again under the direction of McDonagh. The superb dialogue, the search for the reason for it all and the very slowly escalating conflict are absorbing and, apart from a minor slower passage in the middle, it is an excellent piece of work. Burwell's minimalist music fits beautifully. (17/12/2022)