Teen Reviewer - Oscar (Grade 12)
The title of the DVD - The Banshees of Inisherin
Directed by Martin McDonagh
I’d rate this movie 3 Stars
This movie is set in 1923 on an island called Inisherin off the west coast of Ireland. It is the story of two friends, Padraic played by Colin Farrell and Colm played by Brendan Gleeson. Inisherin is a sparsely populated Island. Padriac lives with his sister Siobhan and a donkey named Jenny, and Colm has a Border Collie Sammy as his only companion.
Padriac and Colm have been friends for as long as anyone can remember, meeting for a pint of beer every afternoon at their local pub.
One day out of nowhere Colm declares an end to their friendship, telling Padraic that he “just doesn’t like him anymore”. Colm wants to spend the rest of his days playing his fiddle and composing music. Padriac is confused and obviously upset. The locals think Colm is just having a bad day. However, Colm is deadly serious. He tells Padraic he is dull and threatens to cut off a finger every time that he continues to try and talk to him. As the movie progresses Colm follows through on his threat.
This film is being classed as a comedy/horror. I found it hard to find any humour in the islanders’ lives. It is a very dark and depressing story with the only happy ending being for Padriacs sister Siobhan as she leaves the island for a job on the mainland.
I am rating the movie three stars because although I did not personally enjoy watching it, the acting was great and the filming was very well done. The film was nominated for nine Oscar’s but did not win any. The movie is rated R and I do think it would definitely be inappropriate for younger teens.
It has been publicized that The Banshees of Inisherin was meant to have a bigger message and is said to represent the “angst of the Irish people during the Irish War of Independence”.