The Banshees of Inisherin Review: A Funny and Compelling Pastoral

The Banshees of Inisherin is intended to be an allegory for the Irish Civil War, but its poignant examination of loneliness and isolation is what makes it smart, funny, and memorable.

Colm is having an existential crisis. He’s an old man who has lived in an isolated town all his life with nothing to show. He has decided that before it’s too late, he will focus the rest of his life on leaving a legacy. To pursue this goal, he informed his closest friend Padraic, to leave him alone. Padraic is hurt by this request and doesn’t listen, pushing Colm to give an ultimatum that leads to an escalating series of events.

While the premise of The Banshees of Inisherin is simple, the stunning backdrop, hilarious characters, and profound story make it a surprisingly nuanced film. It’s dark but also funny, sad yet smart, and a quiet but never dull tale that could pass as a local myth.

Why can’t Padraic accept Colm’s decision and get another friend? every 2 pm he goes to the pub and spends the rest of the day drinking. Surely, there’s bound to be someone who’ll take the seat. As we are introduced to more characters and get a look at the village, the reality of living on a remote island off the coast of Ireland in 1923 becomes clear.

In this place, people are isolated from the mainland and stay in their own small circles. It’s easy to become an outcast. Soon enough Padraic finds himself with no choice but to hang out with the village idiot while coming up with ways to make Colm talk to him again. Without spoiling the movie too much, I’m just going to say that Colm keeps his word with gruesome results. In response, Padriac resorts to something short of murder.

The quaint setting of this conflict shows why the two men caught in it can’t let go. The masks in Colm’s house reflect a curious and creative mind that strives to make something meaningful. The crone of the village shows us the eventual fate of Padraic and the other inhabitants. 

Both men are trapped in their small inconsequential lives in a beautiful but closed-off world trying to make the most of what they have – Colm turns to music while Padraic desperately clings to his old ways. 

Brendan Gleeson and Collin Farrel deliver memorable performances along with the rest of the cast. Combining this with beautiful cinematography and an engaging tragicomedy, The Banshees of Inisherin is an unpredictable movie that will make you laugh at one moment and gasp the next.

So are Colm and Padraic able to settle things? the movie doesn’t give us an answer and both men are left in a Mexican standoff. Still, The Banshees of Inisherin takes the second spot in my top 10 movies of 2022.