Jeff's Reviews

Thoughts on every movie I've ever seen.

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)

Directed by Martin McDonagh

Starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon

Author

Delightful little story. I could imagine this playing out perfectly on the stage with a couple of quality actors.

The story is driven by the dialogue, and oh how wonderfully playful and natural it is. This is some really good writing, worthy of Best Screenplay awards. Beautifully shot. Everything takes place in an adorable hamlet and in mystical fields on picturesque farms. Remarkable timing to get rainbows and sunsets in so many shots, unless of course they are fake. Fantastically understated and authentic costumes and haircuts round out the characters.

Farrell’s eyebrows and forehead crinkles make his puppy dog eyes so expressive and make the characters he plays so vulnerable and charming. He and Gleeson are so great together, playing similar characters with similar demeanors as they did in In Bruges. I could listen to those two banter all day long. Barry Keoghan as Dominic is a treasure.

The offbeat humor gets quite dark, though. The little story in our happy place is weighed down by a guy who has some very serious problems. The end left me a little unsettled, with one main character lonely and bitter to the core, and the other with some very obvious and unresolved mental health issues.

Martin McDonagh is a skilled director. He’s already got an interesting body of work, looking forward to what’s coming next.

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