The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)

	Directed by: Martin McDonagh	COUNTRY Ireland/UK/USA GENRE Dark tragicomedy NORWEGIAN TITLE The Banshees of Inisherin RUNNING TIME 114 minutes
	Produced by: Graham Broadbent Pete Czernin Martin McDonagh
	Written by: Martin McDonagh

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Pádraic Súilleabháin	Colin Farrell
Colm Doherty	Brendan Gleeson
Siobhán Súilleabháin	Kerry Condon
Dominic Kearney	Barry Keoghan
Garda Peadar Kearney	Gary Lydon
Jonjo Devine	Jonjo Devine
Mrs. McCormick	Sheila Flitton

Review

A smart, poetic and taxing black tragicomedy from the often brilliant mind of Martin McDonagh (In Bruges, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), set on a sparsely populated fictional island off the west coast of Ireland in the year of 1923. The premise is a budding conflict between two former pals (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson), backdropped against the Irish Civil War, which is seen raging on the mainland. McDonagh's usual quirky dialogue and small shifts in tone help create a playful atmosphere despite the material's inherent gloominess. You'll likely find yourself chuckle your way through this slowly wounding downward spiral. McDonagh touches upon timeless, universal aspects of humanity during this dissection of a friendship gone awry, but despite powerful themes and wonderful acting, the film retains an academic quality throughout which keeps everything at a certain distance. It's in the depiction of the bond between the people and their animals that The Banshees of Inishering is at its most poignant. And there is also a magnificent supporting performance by Barry Keoghan as the dim but highly acute village idiot.