The Banshees of Inisherin

Summary

“If punching a policeman is a sin then we may as well pack up and go home.”

20th Century Fox and Disney/Buena Vista have recently released the excellent comedy-drama The Banshees of Insisherin from Searchlight Pictures on Blu-ray. The film was written and directed by respected playwright and filmmaker Martin McDonagh. I have enjoyed McDonagh’s particular brand of filmmaking since his first picture In Bruges, and I found both Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Seven Psychopaths to be really enjoyable as well. When I learned that McDonagh was reuniting Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleason, his stars from In Bruges, I was excited at the prospect of seeing the two actors work under McDonagh’s direction again. McDonagh has a knack for creating films that resonate as darkly comedic and melancholy at the same time. His balance between comedy and tragedy, I find to be a pretty irresistible mix. I watched the film the other night. To me, The Banshees of Inisherin completely delivered on the promise shown within McDonagh’s earlier films.

On the small (fictional) island of Inisherin, Ireland, in the 1920s, as the Irish Civil War wages, farmer Padraick (Colin Farrell) awakens in his small cottage. He shares the cottage with his sister Siobhaan (Kerry Condon.) Padraick is a simple man whose small joys in life revolve around his miniature donkey and when he joins his lifelong friend Colm (Brendan Gleason) for a pint at the local pub each evening. Colm is a talented violinist who composes his own music. He lives alone. Padraick walks down the stone paths to Colm’s nearby cottage as per usual to invite his friend to the pub for their daily pints. Inexplicably, Colm ignores his attempts to rouse him from the cottage. He does not answer the door. Somewhat nonplussed, Padraick goes on to the pub. When Colm does not show up there, he goes back to retrieve him. It becomes obvious that Colm is actively ignoring and avoiding Padraick. When Padraick sits across from him at the pub, Colm lets him know that he no longer wishes to be friends with him. Padraick struggles with this information, especially once he realizes that it is not because of any actions he has taken. He has not done anything wrong so much as Colm wants to dissociate from him simply because of who he is. Colm considers him dull. He explains to Padraick that he wants to end their friendship so he can work on his artistic endeavors. The kindhearted Padraick deals with this blow without grace, and immediately falls into a depression. When Padraick repeatedly tries to win back his friend, Colm warns him that if he continues to approach him and speak to him, he will remove a finger off his hand and deliver it to him. Both men deal with unforeseen consequences from the falling out of their relationship.

As you can probably guess from the plot synopsis, the plot unfolds in a semi-tragic fashion. Self mutilation is a deeply uncomfortable thing to watch as an audience, but it is a brilliant plot point to develop tension within the conflict between the two friends. Martin McDonagh is receiving some of the best reviews of his career for the film, and they are well deserved. I can safely say that the film will probably not be comfortable viewing for every viewer, (in fact, my brother Tommy disliked the film completely) but for those that can handle the more intense and melancholy aspects of the picture, the film will be rewarding. The characters are extremely well written and each is given enough screen time to fully understand their pathos. I loved the way that McDonagh managed to write more fully even the smaller characters on his fictional island of Inisherin as points of interest for the viewers. This is a classic case of “there are no small roles, just small actors.” Shopkeepers, bartenders, a policeman, and a young lovelorn boy suffering abuse at the hands of his father are all written so well that they come to mind easily after viewing the film. McDonagh makes that task feel easy, but it is not something most writers accomplish well. 

Because the film was developed during 2020, McDonagh and his production team had a full year to visualize how the film would be made. This shows up on the screen in the wide vista shots of the settings. In order to have a perfect backdrop for the pub, they actually built a pub near a cliff overlooking water. That type of dedication pays off with the resulting stunning film. The picture is also impressive as a period piece. Choosing to set the film in the Twenties and during the Irish Civil War allowed McDonagh to make a solid commentary about how regular people react to the wars in which they do not participate. The production design brings that era to life vividly.

The acting is remarkable. I don’t think that Colin Farrell has ever been better than in his role of Padraick. I have always enjoyed Colin Farrell, and it is nice to see that his work is being recognized as some of the best acting this year. For my money, he deserves a Best Actor knod for his portrayal of Padraick.  Padraick may be considered “dull,” but Farrell plays him with a mixture of sadness and naivety that goes a long way towards making this character feel incredibly real. Brendan Gleeson is likewise excellent in the film. The actor actually wrote the titular song he plays in the film. I think that in itself shows exactly how deeply he felt about the role. Siobhan is played capably by Kerry Condon. She had worked with Martin McDonagh in numerous play productions and he wrote the role specifically for her. She lights up the screen in the role. For a role that is not explored nearly as much as the other two leads, Condon still managed to make Siobhan a fully formed character. Barry Keoghan, who plays the role of the sad hearted and downtrodden Dominic Kearney, is very good as well.

The Banshees of Inisherin stands as one of the best films of 2022. I wholeheartedly recommend checking it out.

Video

The Banshees of Inisherin has been released onto Blu-ray in its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1. The film was shot using digital film and Arri cameras. The mastering of the film was performed digitally in 4K. The Blu-ray presentation is in 1080p. The cinematography of the film by Ben Davis is stunning and captures the cliffside Irish surroundings beautifully. Colors and fine details are as good as possible on the Blu-ray format. I would love to have this film on UHD, since it can be streamed in 4K, but as a physical media collector I am happy to have the film in such a handsome presentation on Blu-ray. Searchlight Pictures have done a wonderful job with this transfer.

Audio

The DTS-HD MA 5.1 track sounds great. The film is centered on dialogue, but the surrounds are used effectively to capture the sounds of the island community. There is no reasons that this track should be upgraded to Atmos that stuck out to me, so I am very pleased with this presentation.

Supplements:

• Digital Code is included
• Creating The Banshees of Inisherin – while this piece is somewhat short, it is well made and very informative with solid interviews from key cast and crew members.
• Deleted Scenes

Overall Scores:

Video: 5/5

Audio: 4.5/5

Supplements: 2.5/5

Overall – 4.5/5

The Banshees of Inisherin is easily one of the best films of 2022. While the film moves at a measured pace, it manages to create a real sense of melancholy and tension that keeps the film engaging for its duration. Martin McDonagh is an incredibly talented writer, and this is one of his best films yet. It shows a level of maturity as a writer that delivers fully on the promise first shown with In Bruges. The acting in the film is exceptional and the characters are very well developed. Colin Farrell is deserving of all the praise that he has earned for his performance. For my money, it is likely the best performance of 2022. Brendan Gleeson is likewise very good in the film. While I am sure some audiences will not be as entranced as I was with the film (for example, my brother did not share my enthusiasm for the film,) I feel confident in giving the picture a very good recommendation. The Searchlight Pictures Blu-ray features excellent video and solid audio. Unless we get a chance to own this film on 4K UHD, this Blu-ray is an excellent way to own the film. The special features are not substantial but what is presented is very well done. Highly recommended.