The Banshees of Inisherin: A fever dream of ‘fecks’ and Irish folklore.
By Aine Feeney
If you’ve ever fancied a film that combines the tragedy and depth of a John B. Keane play with a smattering of Tarantino-esque dark humour, The Banishees of Inisherin is an apt choice. This film, written and directed by Martin McDonagh, takes place on the fictional island of Inisherin and follows the story of Padraic (played by Colin Farell), a self-confessed ‘gom’ who is devastated to wake up one day to find that his best friend Colm (played by Brendan Gleeson) has grown tired of their friendship and is no longer speaking to him. Padraic endeavours to right this seemingly meaningless wrong and win back his friend’s favour, only to become embroiled in a bitter feud that will leave audiences feeling morose.
The Irish Civil War is the backdrop for this film, both literally and figuratively. The bombing on the mainland is a recurring motif of the reminder of what is happening behind the scenes. Interestingly, there are parallels between Civil War feuds and the feud between the film’s central characters. As the tagline of the film reads, everything was fine yesterday. Much like the Civil War, which divided families overnight, Colm’s sudden dislike towards Padraic seemingly comes out of nowhere. In a gruesome ultimatum, Colm threatens to cut off one finger for every time Padraic tries to interact with him. This is a promise which he keeps, leaving Padraic and the audience equally disturbed and puzzled.
Colm cites Padraic’s dullness as his reason for shunning him, resolving to spend the rest of his expected twelve years of life reflecting and musing, writing his music. He would prefer to be on his own than to indulge Padraic’s idle conversations that focus on nothing of substance. Loneliness is a theme which echoes through this film from start to finish. Colm’s rejection of Padraic’s friendship is a sign of his acceptance of his fate on the island. The only characters who break this cycle of isolation are Padraic’s sister Siobhán (played by Kerry Condon) and the ‘village idiot,’ Dominic (played by Barry Keoghan). However, their respective departures from the island and from the lives of their fellow characters come about through tragic means.
This film is full of unexpected aesthetic clashes. The opening credits feature stunning cinematography, showing a birds eye view of the island, accompanied by a chilling score. This does not suggest to the viewer that there will be comedic elements to this film. The dynamic duo Pat Shortt and Jon Kenny (known to most Irish people as the d’Unbelievables) provide a much needed humorous respite from the bloody feud. Likewise, the simple minded Dominic who clumsily tries to win over Siobhán gives the audience a glimpse of the innocent side of island life.
These clashes between the humorous and the dark are confusing and sometimes blur the plot as the viewer can’t tell whether to empathise with Colm or Padraic, who each have their own justifiable reasons to be bitter. However, by the end of the film, there is a mutual feeling of acceptance between the characters and the audience that this is the way things are. In the closing scene, the two men meet on the beach for their final interaction, where Padraic finally accepts that his relationship with Colm is over. Life on the island of Inisherin is a dull and lonely existence and resisting this way of life will only lead to tragedy. This is a harsh lesson that Padraic learns as he finds himself entirely alone by the end of the film, not even with his beloved donkey Jenny for company.
This stunning tragicomedy is well worth a watch, not least for its dark humour and talented writing, but also because of its delivery by an ensemble of legendary Irish actors who form this quirky cast of eccentric islanders that you will be sorry to part with once the credits roll.