Depressed Friends

Movies: The Banshees of Inisherin

Martin McDonagh's most recent film is a complex and heartbreaking exploration of loneliness, isolation, social ostracism, depression and relationships. It's a comedy, but also a tragedy. And there's even a bit of horror mixed in there. Like McDonagh's other films, such as In Bruges and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, the movie pushes us a bit past our boundaries and expectations. But I would say that this film is transcendent in a way that his earlier films are not. McDonagh has really perfected his craft here.

Banshees takes place in 1923 on the fictional island of Inisherin, off the coast of Ireland. The Irish Civil War rages on the periphery of the characters' lives, but they don't seem to understand or care about the fighting. They have their own petty grievances to attend to.

Brendan Gleeson plays Colm, a folk musician, who is best friends with Padraic (Colin Farrell), a simple farmer and self-described "happy lad". One day, Colm stops speaking to Padraic and when Padraic pushes for an explanation, Colm says "I just don't like you no more." Padraic is baffled and hurt, of course. Colm explains a little more: Padraic is dull. Colm is getting older. He doesn't want to spend his precious time listening to Padraic blather on about what he found in his pony's shit. Colm wants to write and play music, with the hope of leaving behind some kind of legacy. 

After Padraic continues to push Colm and talk to him after Colm has told him not to, things take an...interesting turn. Colm tells Padraic that if he talks to him again, Colm will take a pair of shears and cut off a finger and give it to Padraic. He'll continue to do this until Padraic gets the message or until Colm has no fingers left. And remember: Colm is a musician. Losing his fingers is a big deal.

Padraic and Colm aren't the only citizens of Inisherin who have shit going on in their lives. Padraic's sister, Siobhan (Kerry Condon), is becoming increasingly lonely and restless on the island where everyone knows everyone else's business. When an opportunity for a job on the mainland falls into her lap, she has to decide between leaving to save her sanity and staying behind to support her brother. There's also Dominic (Barry Keoghan), a weird young man who we find out is being abused by his alcoholic policeman father. Dominic is a heartbreaking character, played wonderfully by Keoghan. He's straight up creepy and inappropriate, but he's also the victim of his terrible father. Keoghan finds a balance of repulsive and sympathetic and walks that line really well. 

Banshees asks the question: what do we owe other people, and what do we owe ourselves? Each character has flaws and each character has good reasons to behave the way they do. Each character makes mistakes. Each character hurts another character, either on purpose or accidentally. Colm, for example, certainly has a right--and good reasons--to want to hang out less often with Padraic. But cutting him off completely seems a little harsh. And then cutting his own fingers off to make a point is straight up insane. It's pretty clear that Colm is suffering from something bigger than just being bored by a tiresome friend. When he goes to confession at church, the priest asks "How's the despair?" This is what therapy was like in 1923 Ireland: your priest asks how the despair is going and then gives you Hail Marys to say instead of SSRIs to take.

Although Banshees is a dark comedy--and it is indeed very funny--there is true and genuine heartbreak in this film. Anyone who is sensitive to rejection will feel this movie in their bones. Gleeson and Farrell have enormous chemistry, with Gleeson playing his character as more resigned than cruel. Colm doesn't want to hurt Padraic, but he basically "just can't even" with him anymore. Farrell gives a stunning portrayal of male vulnerability. Padraic goes through all the stages of grief in this film: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. He is an enormously sympathetic character who captures that swirl of feelings anyone would have when facing a situation where a friend just stops wanting to be your friend. Hell, I've been there! We all have!

The Banshees of Inisherin is a revelation of a movie. Definitely one of the best of 2022 and probably McDonagh's best. I feel like I can't fully explain it in this review because it's a movie that you feel more than you think about. It is truly a masterpiece and I highly recommend it to everyone--just be sure to bring tissues with you.

Grade: A