The Banshees of Inisherin

''The Banshees of Inisherin'' is a 2022 black tragicomedy film written and directed by Martin McDonagh. The film follows two lifelong friends (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson) who find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them; Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan also star. It reunites Farrell and Gleeson, who previously worked together on McDonagh's directorial debut ''In Bruges'' (2008).

''The Banshees of Inisherin'' had its world premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 5, 2022, where Farrell won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor and McDonagh won the Golden Osella for Best Screenplay. It was theatrically released in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and United States on October 21, 2022, by Searchlight Pictures. The film received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised McDonagh's screenplay and direction, Carter Burwell's score, and performances of the main cast. It was also named one of the best films of 2022 by the National Board of Review. The film also received a leading eight nominations at the 80th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Director, the most achieved by any film since '' Cold Mountain'' (2003) in 2004.

Plot

At the tail end of the Irish Civil War in 1923, on the fictional Irish isle of Inisherin, folk musician Colm Doherty abruptly begins ignoring his lifelong friend and drinking buddy Pádraic Súilleabháin. Pádraic, though nice and well liked by the islanders, is too "dull" for Colm, who wishes to spend the remainder of his life composing music and doing things for which he will be remembered. Pádraic's life is destabilized by the loss of one of his few friends; as Pádraic grows increasingly distressed at the rejection, Colm becomes more resistant to his old friend's attempts to speak to him. Colm eventually gives Pádraic an ultimatum: every time Pádraic bothers him or tries to talk with him, Colm will cut off one of his own left fingers with a pair of sheep shears.

Though Pádraic's caring sister Siobhán and troubled local boy Dominic attempt to defuse the pair's escalating battle, their efforts prove fruitless. After a drunken Pádraic confronts him in the pub and then attempts to apologise, Colm cuts off one of his fingers and delivers it to Pádraic. After Pádraic sees Colm meeting with a fiddler from the mainland, Pádraic tricks the fiddler into returning home by lying about his father's death. As the tensions worsen, local elder Mrs. McCormick warns Pádraic that death will come to the island soon. Meanwhile, Siobhán gently rejects Dominic's earnest romantic advances.

Pádraic visits Colm to reprimand him for behaving so badly. Colm reveals that he has finished composing his song, which he calls "The Banshees of Inisherin". Pádraic suggests that he should go ahead to the pub and order them a couple of pints. Colm says that would be fine. Pádraic tells Colm about lying to the fiddler to run him off the island, and that perhaps all three of them could have drinks. Colm cuts off his remaining left fingers with the shears and throws them at the door of Padraic's cottage.

Sick of life on the island, Siobhán moves to the mainland for a job in a library. Pádraic comes home to find his pet donkey Jenny has choked on one of the fingers and died. A heartbroken Pádraic blames Colm for Jenny's death. He confronts Colm to tell him he will burn his house down the next day. Pádraic sets the house on fire, taking Colm's dog to safety. As Pádraic leaves, he sees Colm sitting inside the burning building. The local policeman, Dominic's abusive father Peadar, goes to Pádraic's house. He is diverted away by Mrs. McCormick, who wordlessly leads him to Dominic's corpse floating in the nearby lake.

The next morning, Pádraic, with the dog, finds Colm standing on the beach beside his burnt-out house. Colm apologizes for Jenny's death and suggests destroying the house has ended their feud, but Pádraic informs him that it only would have ended if he'd stayed inside the house. When Colm wonders if the Civil War has ended, Pádraic states he believes it may be a good thing that there are some things that can't be moved on from. As Pádraic turns to leave, Colm thanks him for looking after his dog; "Any time," Pádraic replies. Unbeknownst to them, Mrs. McCormick had been watching them from afar.

Cast

* Colin Farrell as Pádraic Súilleabháin
* Brendan Gleeson as Colm Doherty
* Kerry Condon as Siobhán Súilleabháin
* Barry Keoghan as Dominic Kearney
* Gary Lydon as Peadar Kearney
* Pat Shortt as Jonjo Devine
* Sheila Flitton as Mrs. McCormick
* Bríd Ní Neachtain as Mrs. O'Riordan
* Jon Kenny as Gerry
* Aaron Monaghan as Declan
* David Pearse as the Priest
* Lasairfhíona as Female Singer
* John Carty as Older Musician 1
* Oliver Farrelly as Older Musician 2
* James Carty as Student Musician 1
* Conor Connolly as Student Musician 2
* Ryan Owens as Student Musician 3

Production

In February 2020, Martin McDonagh was reported to have set his next directorial effort up with Searchlight Pictures, and it would see him reunite with his ''In Bruges'' stars Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell. In August 2021, Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan were added to the cast.

Principal photography began in August 2021 in Inishmore before moving to Achill Island later that month. Locations used on Achill include Cloughmore (JJ Devine's Pub), Purteen Harbour (O'Riordan's shop), Keem Bay (Colm Doherty's house), Corrymore Lake (Mrs. McCormick's cottage) and St. Thomas's Church in Dugort. Filming wrapped on 23 October 2021.

Music

The original score is composed by Carter Burwell, McDonagh's frequent collaborator. McDonagh did not want Burwell to compose an "Irish-based" score despite the film's setting. For Pádraic's character, Burwell approached a "child-like" and "Disney character" based score, and also used fiddle-themed compositions for Colm. The film's soundtrack was digitally released by Hollywood Records on 21 October 2022 along with the film.

Release

''The Banshees of Inisherin'' had its world premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on 5 September 2022 where it received a 15-minute standing ovation from the audience, the longest of that year's festival. It also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival that same month and was screened as the opening night film of the 31st Philadelphia Film Festival on 19 October 2022. It was theatrically released on 21 October 2022.

The film was released on rental PVOD and made available to stream on HBO Max on 13 December 2022, and was released on Blu-ray and DVD on 20 December 2022 by 20th Century Studios Home Entertainment and Disney / Buena Vista.

The film was released on Disney+ as part of the Star content hub in selected regions on 14 December 2022, and 21 December 2022 in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The film was also released on Disney+ Hotstar in India on 14 December 2022.

Reception

Box office

, ''The Banshees of Inisherin'' has grossed $9.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $13 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $22 million.

In the film's opening weekend in the U.S. it made $184,454 from four theaters, for a per-venue average of $46,113, making it the second-highest grossing opener for a Fall 2022 platform release, behind ''Till''. The following weekend the film expanded to 58 theaters, making $535,170. The following weekend it expanded to 895 theaters, making $2.1 million and finishing seventh at the box office.

Home media performance

On its first day on VOD in the United States, the film debuted at #8 on iTunes and was the second most-watched film on HBO Max.

Critical response

Peter Bradshaw from ''The Guardian'' gave the film four out of five stars writing that "as a study of male loneliness and swallowed anger it is weirdly compelling and often very funny". Todd McCarthy from ''Deadline Hollywood'' wrote that the film was "a simple and diabolical tale of a friendship's end shot through with bristling humor and sudden moments of startling violence", he also praised Ben Davis' cinematography and Carter Burwell's score. David Ehrlich from IndieWire rated it B+, writing that "its constant undercurrent of humor affords the story's most pressing questions an appropriately ridiculous context, one that speaks to the absurdities of all existence". He also called it McDonagh's best work since ''In Bruges''.

Matthew Creith from ''Screen Rant'' noted the film's "demonstration of the metaphorical aspects of civil disobedience and internal protest between a set of individuals is remarkably hilarious". ''The New York Times'' Kyle Buchanan wrote: "The film was rapturously received here in Venice, earning a lengthy standing ovation and rave reviews." In a review for ''Variety'', Guy Lodge wrote: "What begins as a doleful, anecdotal narrative becomes something closer to mythic in its rage and resonance: McDonagh has long fixated on the most visceral, vengeful extremes of human behavior, but never has he formed something this sorely heartbroken from that fascination."

David Rooney from ''The Hollywood Reporter'' called the film "a ruminative ensemble piece that expertly balances the tragicomic with the macabre, inhabiting territory adjacent to McDonagh's stage work yet also sweepingly cinematic".

Writing for ''The Boston Globe'', Mark Feeney gave an unenthusiastic review, describing it as "a short story trying to be a novel" and calling the metaphor for the Irish Civil War "awfully flat-footed".

End of the Year lists

The film appeared on a number of critics' top film lists of the best films of 2022:  

Accolades

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Banshees of Inisherin, The
2020s English-language films
2022 black comedy films
2022 comedy-drama films
American black comedy films
American comedy-drama films
British black comedy films
British comedy-drama films
Film4 Productions films
Films about donkeys
Films about friendship
Films directed by Martin McDonagh
Films impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
Films produced by Graham Broadbent
Films scored by Carter Burwell
Films set in the 1920s
Films set in 1923
Films set in Ireland
Films set on fictional islands
Films shot in Ireland
Irish black comedy films
Irish comedy-drama films
Irish Civil War films
Searchlight Pictures films
Tragicomedy films
2020s American films
2020s British films
2022 independent films
TSG Entertainment films