Heartland: The Banshees of Inisherin

Martin McDonagh's long-awaited reunion with Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson makes for another hilarious and touching dark comedy.

Out of all the films released in October and during the Heartland International Film Festival, nothing excited me more than “The Banshees of Inisherin.” One of those reasons is because of one name— Martin McDonagh. Even though his filmography isn’t massive, this Academy Award playwright and filmmaker has made a name for himself with the unpredictable sense of dark humor he brings to his films, along with a hint of thought-provoking perspective on life.

"In Bruges," his debut feature film, humanizes hitmen from a different approach. Likewise, the underrated "Seven Psychopaths" felt like his take on a Quentin Tarantino-style crime comedy. And while the film community doesn’t like "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" anymore, I love it. Anything he does will get me excited. Of course, his latest will bring out the detractors, but it sure entertained me for two hours in what might be my favorite from him. 

In the small fictional isle of Inisherin during the ongoing Irish Civil War of 1923, Pádraic Súilleabháin (Colin Farrell) is known as the nicest person in town. He also shares his living space with his booksmart sister Siobhán (Kerry Condon), tending to their animals, including his miniature donkey, Jenny. Life should be easy for him during this time, especially when having a pint at the local pub with his longtime best friend, Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson). But one day, out of nowhere, Colm abruptly ends their friendship, cutting him off entirely from his life. No particular explanation was given to him, but it’s an arduous task that will lead to uncertain consequences. 

Just from the simple premise alone about the falling out of two male friends made it sound that’s enough to know it came from McDonagh’s creative mind. Yet, I didn’t expect it to be deeper than I thought for him, bringing together an engaging story of friendship and lonliness that will become a classic about common conflicts in different friendships explored in the way he does it.

Colm doesn’t hate Pádraic; he doesn’t want to waste any of his time on Earth. More or less, he wants to focus on writing music with his fiddle, and that means not listening to his former friend tell useless stories that are simply dull. But you wouldn’t expect "The Banshees of Inisherin" to make you think about yourself, wondering if you’re good enough to be a friend.

Nobody can stay friends forever based on various experiences of growing apart. Sometimes it’s hard to think if you’ve ever been good enough around your group of pals. How often do we ask ourselves, "Do I annoy those around me?" Will we be remembered in the same way we do with music? But this gives us an important question that puts us in a mode of thinking: Is it necessary in life to be remembered or to be kind? The legacy we bring upon our time on earth before we fade into obscurity forever.

As someone who’s been a fan of Colin Farrell for years, his third collaboration with McDonagh might be the most nuanced performance of his career of a man coping with a change in life. Maybe he's a flawed person for refusing to let this go, but Pádraic sympathizes enough to where he wants to ensure he can fix everything in his power to correct it. His comedic timing never gets old, primarily through his facial expressions. And while some might think Gleeson doesn’t do a whole lot in his role of Colm, he has never been better in a character that has an understanding motive as to why he decided to leave. Both are equally fantastic in their chemistry, and it might be even better than when they first worked together 14 years prior with "In Bruges" (a reunion years in the making).

But outside the two leading actors, I feel we’re also going to be talking about Kerry Condon’s fantastic performance as Siobhán. This Irish actress is probably familiar with "Better Call Saul," but what a character who's perhaps the most competent person on the island because she thinks this thing between his brother and Colm is ridiculous. Barry Keoghan, as the village idiot Dominic, was a scene stealer. He becomes a brief companion to Pádric who's more layered than expected when we first see him at the film's beginning. And in terms of animal performances, you’re going to think about Jenny, the Donkey, after it’s over.

Because McDonagh wrote the script, it turns out to be one of the tamer stories he’s done that still balances a good amount of clever humor and drama that blends better than you can imagine within the allegory of the Civil War backdrop. The dark comedy he usually brings to his films didn’t disappoint because that style sneaks up on me. I had a big grin, waiting for the next joke to hit. Probably the best reaction came from a line Farrell said regarding Mozart. But it doesn’t ignore moments of violence that go from shocking to the damage we do to ourselves. Nothing's more mental than threatening to cut off a finger to let someone know they mean business.

This wasn’t his flashiest effort, which I didn’t mind, and it was well-paced enough to keep my attention on the screen, even in its quieter moments. Though it has an ending that might leave most underwhelmed the same way “Three Billboards” concluded, it didn't bother me. Matched with how well crafted the execution, Carter Burwell’s score and Ben Davis’ beautifully stunning cinematography and lighting capture Ireland's landscape in nearly every frame, almost becoming a character in itself.

Can we see if this is a potential awards contender? Absolutely. This will be Searchlight Pictures' considerable push out of their films this year. We could catch nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. One I'd be over the moon about is Farrell finally getting his first Oscar nomination. He was awarded the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice International Film Festival and it's about time since they completely snubbed him for his performances in "Saving Mr. Banks" and “In Bruges,” respectively.

Overall, “The Banshees of Inisherin” can’t be missed in theaters if you're in search of a memorable tragicomedy. Martin McDonagh delivers his tale of a friendship's end that's both darkly funny and poignant from start to finish. Considering the writing, directing, and standout performances from Farrell, Gleeson, and Condon, respectively, I walked out of the theater knowing full well this is one of the best films of 2022. He’s four for four, and you better believe I’ll be there for his next project.