If you’ve watched The Banshees of Inisherin and pretend you understood what was happening, you are lying.
Martin McDonagh confused everyone with his dark comedy starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. Set in 1923 Ireland, the movie follows two friends who fall out brutally.
Interpreted by most as a cutting metaphor of the Irish Civil War, The Banshees of Inisherin leaves you with a sense of bafflement, putting us on a knife-edge between what could be either the best movie ever made or the most bizarre thing you’ve ever watched.
Absurd storyline – petty quarrel that turns into a disaster
The story is set on a remote Island inspired by the Aran Islands, and tells the tale of two ordinary, lifelong friends, Pádraic, played by Colin Farrell, and Colm, played by Brendan Gleeson.
The beginning of the film is fairly unremarkable; we enjoy the Irish landscapes and grow attached to the characters, but suddenly, Colm decides he no longer wants to be friends with Padraic.
We then spend the rest of the film waiting for the case to be solved, but find ourselves increasingly confused as the film takes a turn toward black comedy.
It just doesn’t make any sense. Pádraic doesn’t seem like the worst guy in the world, and he certainly doesn’t deserve to have someone cut off their fingers to get rid of him. He just wants to have a pint with the lad!
An Irish folktale – adding to the surreal atmosphere
Irish folklore is reflected in the film through the frightening presence of the Banshee. The female creature of Irish mythology can appear in many forms; her scream warns that death will soon strike someone close to the listener.
In the movie, Mrs. McCormick, the old neighbor that everyone tries to avoid, embodies the Banshee. The dark premonitions she shared with Pádraic seemed to predict the imminent death of his miniature donkey and Dominic, Pádraic’s simple friend, who kills himself.
The banshee’s appearance only accentuates the film’s surreal atmosphere, leaving us with a chill down our spines and a feeling of unease.
How to watch it without faking it – stop pretending
The truth is that you don’t need to make sense of the movie to appreciate it. Whether the movie has a symbolic meaning or is simply displaying an ugly truth, the general idea is that the film resists being reduced to a theory!
Feeling the discomfort and accepting that you won’t understand it is perhaps the only way to watch The Banshees of Inisherin. The dark humour, the banshee’s sinister hint, backed by Ireland’s spectacular scenery make this movie an insightful take on Irish history and folklore.
The mere fact that people are still debating whether or not the movie meant something is proof that nobody understands it and only pretends to!
