by A.J.
Best Pictures #90: 2022 (95th) Academy Awards Best Picture Nominee
“You liked me yesterday.”
Unlike writer-director Martin McDonagh’s previous films, In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths, which were dark comedies—emphasis on the comedy—his latest, The Banshees of Inisherin, is simply a dark movie with some comedy, mostly at the beginning. There are certainly darker, more depressing movies, but this film’s bleakness is its means and its end. The characters and story serve the bleakness instead of bleak circumstances affecting the characters and moving them forward. This is certainly a well made movie on all fronts (acting, directing, writing, cinematography, and more), but it is not an enjoyable film.
Set in 1923 as the Irish Civil War winds down, the citizens of a fictional island are close enough to the mainland to hear gunfire but are largely unaffected by the war. The film opens with the stereotypical sights of a perfect Irish day. There's even a rainbow as Padraic (Colin Farrell) strolls cheerfully to fetch his best friend Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson) for their daily pint at the village pub. On this day however, Colm doesn’t answer the door and when they finally do meet Colm tells Padraic that he does not want anything to do with Padraic anymore and will not drink with or speak to him again. Eventually we learn that Colm thinks Padraic is dull and their dull conversations have held him back from achieving things like composing fiddle music. Colm is so committed to their separation that he swears to cut off a finger every time Padraic speaks to him. Padraic is either too dull or too loving to just let his friend go and the one sided conflict turns into mutual antagonism. Violence is done and deaths occur. One says to the other that they suppose things are finally over and the other replies that things are only beginning between them.
It is hard to articulate why some friendships end and the unintended consequences of that termination and The Banshees of Inisherin plays with this theme but does not fully explore that avenue. More directly, the troubles between Padraic and Colm seem to be a metaphor for Ireland’s strife with itself. In this way the movie succeeds greatly, also in conveying the needless and seemingly preventable grief the participants cause.
Colin Farrell’s performance as the perhaps dull after all but well intentioned turned dark soul is great; he is the standout element of the whole movie. Farrell has always been a better actor than his mainstream roles allowed and here he shows sweetness, vulnerability, innocence, pettiness, all believably and compellingly. Brendan Gleeson is good, of course, but has had more complex and challenging roles (as in The Guard, a dark comedy written and directed by Martin McDonagh’s brother, John Michael McDonagh). Kerry Condon as Padraic’s spinster sister, Siobhán, is an interesting character, far more knowledgeable and sensible than her small island community deserves. Barry Keoghan as Padraic’s only other friend, Dom, is meant to be comic relief, and is great at it, but even his subplot is steeped in bleakness. Condon and Keoghan stand out so much because they promise a more entertaining movie than we are given. All four performers received Oscar nominations.
The Banshees of Inisherin never achieves poignancy, despite its tragic events and grueling emotional trials because the focus is never so much on the characters as the conflict and harm, both physical and emotional, that is inflicted upon them. Martin McDonagh is aiming for the same blend of comedy and existentialism that the Coen Brothers achieved with movies like Barton Fink, A Serious Man and Miller’s Crossing, but he does not stick the landing. In Bruges (also starring Farrell and Gleeson) is a brilliant dark comedy that turns out like a Greek tragedy but is entertaining the whole way through making the tragedy and pathos hit hard. Seven Psychopaths is a film that is dark and funny and violent and memorable (please see it if you haven’t). McDonagh’s previous film, the multiple Oscar nominee Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri could not decide if it was supposed to be dark comedy or profound commentary on American society (the jokes in that movie felt out of place, almost inappropriate) and worked as well as it did only because of the performances from its impressive cast. The Banshees of Inisherin does not work, at least not as an entertainment, despite its great cast. Whatever Martin McDonagh’s next project is, I'm sure the cast will be talented and I hope the material lives up to the cast.
Nominees: Graham Broadbent, Peter Czernin, Martin McDonagh, producers
Director: Martin McDonagh
Screenplay: Martin McDonagh
Cast: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan
Production Companies: Film4 Productions, Blueprint Pictures, TSG Entertainment
Distributor: Searchlight Pictures
Release Date: October 21st, 2022
Total Nominations: 9, including Best Picture
Other Nominations: Actor-Colin Farrell, Supporting Actor-Brendan Gleeson; Supporting Actor-Barry Keoghan; Supporting Actress-Kerry Condon; Director-Martin McDonagh; Original Screenplay-Martin McDonagh;Original Score-Carter Burwell; Editing-Mikkel E.G. Nielsen
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