As someone who was ghosted by her best friend of 8 years, Martin McDonagh’s latest film hit a little too close to home.
In The Banshees of Inisherin, we meet Pádraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson) who are living on a remote island off the coast of Ireland. In this quaint island where there’s not much of anything to do, you can quickly gather that it is the human interactions that create fulfilling experiences. The main conflict in this film comes when Colm wakes up one day and makes the decision that he no longer wants to be friends with Pádraic. Losing a best friend is never easy and Pádraic goes through every stage of grief right in front of us. We meet an onslaught of wonderful characters that try to help the men mend their relationship and each of them was a perfect addition to the storyline. Martin McDonagh chose the perfect location to shoot this film, the island almost feels like an added character that expanded the world of the film.
The chemistry between Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell often jumps out of the screen, which just adds to the weight of the storyline. It was anxiety-inducing to go through the stages of grief while watching this friendship fall apart. Gleeson plays Colm in such a determined manner that the entire time you find yourself silently begging him to change his mind, I mean because who wouldn’t give in to Colin Farrell’s “sad puppy dog” eyes. His calm demeanor only adds to the frustration of the situation, but yet you never find yourself hating Colm. A testament to Gleeson’s acting is how he never becomes the bad guy, even after he calls Pádraic boring, do you try to reason with his decision.
This may just be my favorite Colin Farrell role to date, though admittedly his eyebrows did most of the work, the way he allowed so much vulnerability to shine through the screen made for an emotional experience. Pádraic’s desperation when searching for a reason as to why the friendship has ended felt a little too familiar. The way he physically cannot keep himself from speaking to Colm felt a little too real, considering the countless unanswered emails I’ve sent, I found myself completely connecting to Pádraic’s journey.
Though I’m sure, when Awards season comes around, this film will be entered in the drama categories, it could also early make the argument for being a dark comedy . The story of grieving a lost friendship can easily find its way into the depressing but the dry humor amongst the characters keeps the audience grounded and often laughing out loud. Martin McDonagh has created a heartbreaking platonic love story and it is a necessary viewing experience.
Friendships can often be so much more monumental than romantic relationships. I demand more stories about the friendships that can break us. The Banshees of Inisherin is a wonderful movie that tells a gut wrenching story and if it does find it’s way into a few Awards categories this next season, it will be well deserved.
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