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The Banshees of Inisherin
Ireland / UK / USA 2022
produced by Graham Broadbent, Peter Czernin, Martin McDonagh, Daniel Battsek (executive), Ben Knight (executive), Ollie Madden (executive), Diarmuid McKeown (executive) for Blueprint Pictures, Film 4, Metropolitan Films International, Walt Disney Productions (Searchlight Pictures)
directed by Martin McDonagh
starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan, Gary Lydon, Pat Shortt, Sheila Flitton, Bríd Ní Neachtain, Jon Kenny, Aaron Monaghan, David Pearse
written by Martin McDonagh, music by Carter Burwell
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Inisherin, a small island off the Irish coast, late 19th/early 20th
century: Padraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson) have been best
friends for life - but now, just like that, Colm breaks off their
friendship. And this pushes Padraic, who was used to spend his afternoons
in the pub with Colm, into a deep hole, especially because Colm's move
came without any provocation. When he tries to get an explanation, Colm
just answers he finds Padraic dull, and that he wants to get more out of
life than just meaningless discussions. And furthermore, he needs some
peace to compose a musical piece he will be remembered by. But Padraic
isn't one to give up on his best friend that easily, even if that best
friend doesn't want to hear from him, and employs his own sister Siobhan
(Kerry Condon) who's living with him and the local priest (David Pearse)
in his favour - which only drives Colm furious, and he threatens to cut
off his own fingers one by one should Padraic continue his behaviour. Now
in his defense, Padraic tries to find other friends, but the only one keen
to talk to him is village idiot Dominic (Barry Keoghan), whom Padraic
before long finds very dim, plus their friendship gets Padraic at odds
with Dominic's father, island cop Kearney (Gary Lydon), who just happens
to be a friend of Colm's. And eventually, Padraic and Colm do get into an
argument again, nothing too serious though - with the result that Colm
cuts off one of his fingers and throws it at Padraic's door. Chocked as he
is, and only now grasping the seriousness of the situation, Padraic makes
his best effort to let go - but just can't, this way allowing the thing to
spiral totally out of proportion ... A pretty impressive
picture, and not only because of its breathtaking landscapes that help
give the film its unique atmosphere, and a very strong ensemble carrying
the movie, but also because the film takes what's in itself a pretty sad
story and turns it into a subtle comedy, one that lives from its quiet
moments more than from its punchlines and that despite showing lots of
heart never crosses the line to being sappy let alone cheesy but just
spins a yarn that's both thoughtful and highly entertaining - and
seemingly for not trying to hard to be.
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