Review –The Banshees of Inisherin

It’s easy to feel trapped in life. In either a literal or a metaphorical sense, the feeling that one is unable to escape their current work, home, relationship, etc. is something that is extremely common, and probably fundamental to human nature. This is unfortunate, as it is not a particularly nice feeling. We tend to yearn for the future, and the opportunities that may await us, and as a result neglect to make the most of the present moment. Personally, it’s a feeling that I have experienced at a few points in my life, and I think The Banshees of Inisherin captures it beautifully.

On paper, the film tells a very simple story. In the early 1920s, on the fictional island of Inisherin off the coast of Ireland, the friendship between Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson) and Pádraic Súilleabháin (Colin Farrell) comes to an abrupt end when the former tells the latter that he no longer wants anything to do with him, and that he simply doesn’t like him anymore. The fallout of this event, and its effect on the relationship of the two characters, is the driving force of the plot, and a colourful supporting cast adds extra flavour.

I’ve opted to make this review short, as I strongly feel that the less one knows about the film before going in, the better. However, suffice it to say that while the story may seem minimalist, it conceals dizzying thematic depth. Director Martin McDonagh has crafted an experience that holds the audience’s attention through wonderfully subtle cues and call-backs in the dialogue, cinematography, editing and mise-en-scène, resulting in a film that exemplifies the truth in the old idiom ‘less is more’. The film also manages to juggle moments of comedy and drama wonderfully.

While the film is for the most part a black comedy, that feeling of entrapment permeates the entire story from beginning to end. As the viewer comes to understand, the actions of the characters are mainly driven by their responses to feeling trapped, just in different ways. Whether they feel trapped in the titular setting, in their old or young age, or their mannerisms or personality, the ways in which these people are held hostage by their circumstances and emotions is what the film explores. While these themes may not be entirely revolutionary, I can’t remember the last time a film examined them as elegantly as The Banshees of Inisherin does.