The Banshees of Inisherin
Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson talk about reuniting with writer/director Martin McDonagh 14 years after making dark comedy cult classic In Bruges for McDonagh's new film, The Banshees of Inisherin.,All of the main characters' sweaters were made by the same elderly woman, Delia Barry. She knitted them by hand specifically for the film, including doubles for each sweater. She was not present on set, and did not meet the actors prior to creating the pieces for them. Barry stated one of Colin Farrell's sweaters took 100 hours to complete.,In the first scene in Colm's cottage, an old phonograph with a horn is seen, and heard playing a record. The record is spinning at 33 1/3 RPM, instead of 78 RPM, which was the ONLY speed used to play records in the early 1920's. The slower speed was not used until LP records were introduced in the late 1940s.,Priest: Do you think God gives a damn about miniature donkeys, Colm?
Colm Doherty: I fear he doesn't. And I fear that's where it's all gone wrong.,Featured in CBC News: Toronto: Episode dated 16 September 2022 (2022),The Banshees of Inisherin
Written and Performed by Brendan Gleeson
Performances also include Conor Connolly, James Carty, and Ryan Owens,It is a well told dark comedy that keeps you wanting more, in a time when Ireland was full of despair, not long after the war of Independence and a long-suffering period that brought about a post-colonial inferiority complex (still hasn't been addressed to this day), a struggle for an identity, a repressive church, superstitions, isolation, mass emigration, poverty and to top it all off a brutal civil war. This film does a great job to put you in the psych of the time and to top that off the cinematography, costumes, music and atmosphere are wonderful. The film is itself a bit of a conundrum, on one hand it leaves you thinking nonstop about the story and the premise, while on the other hand you feel cheated by its abruptness.

Pádraic ó Súilleabháin (Colin Farrell) is just a nice man who struggles to deal with losing his friendship with Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson) and the further loss he endures. Colm, himself is in a fight against time and his age. The dark struggle of helplessness or despair is rife on the Island, but the story telling is done so well it comes across uplifting at times with light-hearted comedy sprinkled on top. Siobhán ní Súilleabháin (Kerry Condon) is a rock to Pádraic, but she is herself tied to the antics of the Island and Dominic Kearney (Barry Keoghan) must suffer with his own demons while he searches for love.

Both leads Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson knock it out of the park, but the two shining stars for me were Barry Keoghan and the beautiful Kerry Condon. I thought the film was going to take a turn for the D'Unbelievables at one point when Pat Shortt who plays Jonjo Devine and Jon Kenny who plays Gerry pop up on the screen, but after a brief scare they turned out to be a good addition to the banter and gossip in the pub scenes.

It's not perfect and lets you down in a few areas. Some of the dialogue feels out of place especially for the part of Ireland and the time period, which was a shame, as it transports you out of the screen and back into the cinema (this seems to be a modern trend with period film). The setting was also a bit too squeaky clean; brand new clean clothes, polished teeth, shoes galore, fresh faces (apart from Colin Farrell who did look like he spent years working in the elements) the poverty of the time could have been showcased a bit more.

My wife and I both enjoyed this film immensely. Any fan of dark comedy, this film is a must see with a word of warning: I would be aware if you are going to see this movie and you are emotionally fragile, that it does tap into the dark side of your brain and leaves you in deep thought when it is finished.

8/10.,