Hello everyone! Do you find the title of the movie intriguing? Well, I certainly did, and before any initial research, I assumed that Banshees must be some particular group in a place called Inisherin. It turns out, Banshees means a female spirit from Irish folklore who wails, warning of death in the family. Inisherin is a fictional island the director uses along the west coast of Ireland. Scary isn’t it, don’t be; the exposure from the title has no connection to the storyline of this film. So there goes this theory!
Period dramas are challenging, risky, and not everyone’s cup of tea. They implore the director’s focus, humongous research, and attention to every nitty-gritty to make it look convincing. The major hurdle comes from a Production design point of view. But that is not all; at the heart of the Period drama is a killer premise, and writer/director Martin McDonagh has ticked that box.
Set in 1923 off the west coast of Ireland, The Banshees of Inisherin relies on a potentially unique premise, beautiful landscapes, and a precise representation of life before electricity on this small fictional island of Inisherin. Through his lens, Cinematographer Ben Davis has exceptionally captured the beaches, mountains, green fields, the pre-electric era, and the raging emotions between the characters. The Production Design by Mark Tildesley takes you back in time without a time machine. The houses, the furniture, the small pub, oil lamps, candles, and every other miscellaneous detail have been taken care of. Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh heavily contributes to the authenticity of this period film with her brilliantly designed costumes of the 1920s.
Humans are unpredictable. You never know what will happen from one moment to the next. The years-long relationship turns sour in a moment, and when it happens, it’s heart-shattering for the one on receiving end. Routines change, ways are parted, and this transition is hard to digest for friendly innocent people, like Padraic Suilleabhain, a lively, good-hearted, dull yet lovely lad played by Colin Farrell who was on his way to soon not-to-be best friend Colm Doherty’s house played by Brendan Gleeson.
It was Padraic’s usual routing; 2 PM at the local pub with Colm. Padraic took pride in being nice. But guess what? Colm has changed 360 degrees in a night, he has an existential crisis, and the only thing he wants is for Padraic to quit talking to him forever so that he can invest his time in creating music and be remembered for centuries.
What follows is a relentless inexhaustive struggle of, Coming of Age, Padraic, to awkwardly confront Colm and find the wisdom to persuade him to roll back on his decision. Less did he know all his initiatives to revive their years-long friendship would be met with catastrophic consequences he never envisioned.
Final Verdict:
Director Martin McDonagh has squeezed his grasp on characters just right to bring the best out of them. The Banshees of Inisherin mesmerize you with a rare tale it has to offer and bag your attention with robust performances and heated exchanges. The hidden gems to look for are Sobhan Suilleabhain, played by Kerry Condon, and dim-wit Dominic Kearney, played by Barry Keoghan, delivering nerve-wracking supporting performances. Be it the music, outfits, executions, or set design; the film commands its dominance on all fronts. It gives you a pleasing experience of what it feels like to be in the 1920s.
Leave a Reply