Review of The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) by Bertobellamy — 25 Jan 2023

'The Banshees of Inisherin' is tragicomedy at its finest. Martin McDonagh is back with an intimate yet powerful tale about friendship, solitude and the irrationality that led to a civil war and a conflict still felt today.

As a metaphor for the long Irish conflict, the film manages to show the absurdity of both sides. Pádraic and Colm represent the arbitrariness that led to it and the violent results. This is a Martin McDonagh film, so expect characters presented with a darkly comedic touch that makes them as funny as bleak. The star of the show, of course, is Colin Farrell. Just look at the man's eyebrows; they show you his mood and emotions every damn time. This very well could be his best performance yet. But that's not it, because Barry Keoghan, Kerry Condon, and Brendan Gleeson are astounding in their roles, and even the smaller ones are great, giving you laughs, somber moments, and great lines equally.

'Banshees...' is funny and sad; McDonagh's brilliant screenplay gives insight into the sentiment of a nation struggling and how that affected its society. I hope this wins at least one or two Oscars next month.