The Banshees of Inisherin review: Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell on course for Oscars in what might be Martin McDonagh’s best film yet

The Banshees of Inisherin In cinemas; Cert 16 Five stars I s this Martin McDonagh’s best film? It’s certainly his most complete. A witty, wicked parable set in a fictional Irish countryside, The Banshees of Inisherin reunites McDonagh’s dynamic duo from his 2008 smash, In Bruges . Colin Farrell , a more accomplished performer now than he was then, occupies the role of a simple dairy farmer whose mate gives him the cold shoulder.

Brendan Gleeson , a national treasure at this stage, is the grumpy musician who wishes to be left alone. Together, these affable, commanding giants of the screen could light up an entire feature with two hours of small talk. Armed with McDonagh’s wry, wistful dialogue and disciplined direction, our old pals present us with fireworks.

The buzz here is unavoidable. McDonagh’s latest cinematic joint premiered at this year’s Venice International Film Festival, where it received a 15-minute standing ovation. The British-Irish storyteller picked up the Golden Osella for Best Screenplay – Farrell went home with the Volpi Cup for Best Actor.

Only a fool would bet against awards season glory. McDonagh sets out his stall in the spring of 1923. We are on Inisherin, a thinly populated rock off the west coast, where farmers drink, shopkeepers gossip and the local garda sergeant is ready and willing to provide a wallop to hapless locals.

Back on the mainland, a noisy Civil War rumbles on. On Inisherin, however, the only concern for one Pádraic Súilleabháin (Farrell, resplendent in cosy knitwear) is that his best bud, Colm Doherty (Gleeson, sporting a magnificent scowl) won’t answer his door. Every day, at two o’clock in the afternoon, the lads pull up a stool at Jonjo’s local for a couple of pints of stout.

Not today, though – and poor auld Pádraic doesn’t know why. Eventually, Colm shows his face, but would prefer to sit alone. “I just don’t like you no more,” says Colm.

“But you liked me yesterday,” answers Pádraic, after an agonising pause. The locals are baffled. Most of them reckon Pádraic must have done something to annoy Colm.

The parish priest (David Pearse) brings it up during confession. The obligatory village eejit (Barry Keoghan’s Dominic Kearney) kicks up a fuss. Pádraic’s long-suffering sister, Siobhán (an excellent Kerry Condon) intervenes, but it’s no use.

Expand Close Colin Farrell and Barry Keoghan in ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Colin Farrell and Barry Keoghan in ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ Colm argues that, with only a few years left on the clock, he’d rather spend them composing and teaching music than engaging in frivolous chit-chat with Pádraic. He doesn’t care for “niceness”. They share nothing in common.

That’ll be that. And yet, a heartbroken Pádraic persists – so much so that eventually his disgruntled neighbour delivers a grisly ultimatum. Every time Pádraic utters a word in his direction, Colm will remove one of his own fingers with a set of shears.

Things get dark. Video of the Day Make what you will of the Civil War backdrop (a clever touch, I thought). The real magic here is McDonagh’s searing and uncomfortably sincere depiction of soured brotherhood.

Not only is The Banshees of Inisherin a macabre exercise in rural loneliness, it’s also a bit of a break-up story. Doffing his cap to JM Synge and John B Keane, McDonagh paints a sideways picture of old Ireland: a peculiar yet poignant place, replete with disastrous, dim-witted males who have no idea how to communicate the thoughts in their heads. There’s a lot going on under the surface, and somehow this raw and remarkable film also finds room to explore the thorny issue of art over manners.

Colm sacrifices friendship and reputation for the sake of his craft. A no-no, according to the locals, but a necessity as far as he is concerned. Who should we side with? A busy piece then, but McDonagh’s funny and formidable display knows what it’s at and, unlike previous efforts ( In Bruges , Three Billboards Outside Ebbing , Missouri ) rarely loses the run of itself.

Our esteemed performers bring their A-game, and hey, it’s nice to have D’Unbelievables back together (see Pat Shortt as the aforementioned pub landlord, Jonjo, and the great Jon Kenny as his chattiest regular, Gerry). Obviously, this is the Gleeson and Farrell show. The former has never been better; the latter delivers a compelling, often devastating turn of such startling conviction and control that we wonder if he might consider preparing an acceptance speech for next year’s Oscars.

They both should. A triumph. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Related topics Brendan Gleeson Colin Farrell People & Culture Magazine.