The Banshees of Inisherin (Martin McDonagh, 2022)

One doesn't want to be ungrateful since The Banshees of Inisherin is quantum leaps better than Martin McDonagh's previous outing, the juvenile, execrable Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017). Still, it suffers the fate of so much Oscar bait before it - all its roads lead to a Message. It starts off as a promising Mikey and Nicky (Elaine May, 1976) variation. During the Irish Civil War in 1923 on the fictional isle of Inisherin, two long-time friends have a sudden falling out. Colm (Brendan Gleeson) wants nothing more to do with Pádraic (Colin Farrell). When Pádraic presses for a reason why, Colm tells him that he's boring. Furthermore, any attempts at rekindling the friendship will result in Colm cutting off one finger per attempt. Since Pádraic keeps pressing the matter, Colm starts to lose fingers, each bloody stump thrown against Pádraic's door to prove Colm means business. Unable to move on from Colm's toxic behavior, Pádraic devises his own violent retribution.

Gleeson and Farrell inhabit their characters with a depth worthy of an Oscar which I predict Farell will win. Not only do we feel Pádraic's pain at being ghosted but we grasp Colm's longing for a more meaningful existence than that available mindlessly chatting with Pádraic at the pub every night. Colm is older so he's feeling his last act approach which provides further justification for his coldness, devastating and just plain mean though it is. 

As the war rages on in the background, though, it's clear McDonagh meant the absurdity of the central conflict as an allegory for the Irish Civil War. Instead of recognizing Pádraic as his brother, Colm cuts off his nose to spite his face (or fingers to spite his hand). But that's about as deep as McDonagh takes it. A colleague suggested that to pin the traditionally female designation of banshee on Colm and Pádraic upholds Siobhán (Kerry Condon), Pádraic's sister, as a voice of reason and marks the moment when she leaves in disgust as the point at which the film descends into irreversible tragedy. But all of this is implied in the phrase "Civil War." It remains unclear what exactly McDonagh is trying to say about the event. I knew nothing about the Irish Civil War going in and I know a teensy bit more now. And as always with these kind of eat-your-veggies projects (like, oh, Spotlight), I'd much rather read the Wiki about it, especially given dutiful, by-the-numbers direction which stymies any desire for further exploration.

Grade: B