Martin McDonagh's The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) Is Sure To Be a Front Runner For Best Picture at The Academy Awards

 

Martin McDonagh's latest jet-black cinematic offering, which pairs tragedy and comedy, is potentially a strong contender for the Oscars' Best Picture Award. Much like "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2018)", it features the two stars from McDonagh's 2008 debut film In Bruges, and tells the story of a friendship's end - with a magnificent display of hilarity, horror and sorrow.

In 1923, the rumblings of the Irish civil war (“a bad do”) drift over the island of Inisherin. Every day at 2pm, dairy farmer Pádraic (Colin Farrell) and his best friend Colm (Brendan Gleeson) set out for the pub. They are an unexpected pair; Pádraic is a straightforward individual who loves to discuss horse manure, while Colm is a thinker who composes music, plays the fiddle and is often overwhelmed by his intellectual thoughts. Their bond is one that will never be broken.

Today, however, is not like any other day. When Pádraic knocks, Colm just stays put in his seat, puffing on a cigarette. "Why doesn't he open the door for me?" Pádraic inquires his sharp-minded sister Siobhán (Kerry Condon), with whom he inhabits the same house and needs to routinely evict his much-loved donkey ("animals should be outside!"). "Maybe he just doesn't like you anymore," Siobhán retorts - an amusing comment that unfortunately turns out to be true.

Colm is determined to make the best use of the remaining time he has, and is thus willing to cut Pádraic out of his life, who he perceives as being a limited man who talks aimlessly. Dominic, a local young man who longs to escape the clutches of his abusive policeman father, jokingly asks if Pádraic is 12 years old. But Colm is serious, and threatens that for every time Pádraic talks to him, he will sever one of his own fingers that he uses to play the fiddle.

It is not just about self-mutilation, but also about the depths of existential dread and male ego. The film is a controlled rural Irish tale that is emblematic of a nation struggling with itself. For those unfamiliar with McDonagh's brand of dark comedy, Banshees is a great introduction to his sharp perspective on the human condition. McDonagh's most mature and indirect work to date is bolstered by an excellent cast and crew, including the contributions of composer Carter Burwell and cinematographer Ben Davis. The director's persistent focus on the remnants of humanity in his characters is unmistakable.

McDonagh crafts a universe in the minuscule island, where the hills seem like an emerald patchwork and the sunsets a graceful pastel pink. This is a place where everybody is aware of everybody's affairs - "It's an islet," a priest explains, "rumors travel quickly" - and each countenance reflects a narrative: the woman at the post office who savors news about her neighbors; the chaps in the pub who converse like a melodious Greek choir; the elderly woman with a weathered-apple face and corncob pipe, whose existence implies a spell.

Gleeson & Farrell give a masterful performance — supported by Condon's subtle acting. Gleeson's voice a bracing wind, pushing forward with determination. And, Farrell's career-best performance reveals Pádraic's realization that he is small, and his line "I am not putting my donkey outside when I'm sad" conveys his heartbreak in a funny & heartbreaking moment.

Martin McDonagh's The Banshees of Inisherin is a compelling tragic-comedy. It is sure to be a front runner for Best Picture at The Academy Awards.