Anyone seen "The Banshees of Inisherin"?

[scoobydoo1971]

With a few hours to spare, I looked up films in the local cinema. This was the recommended film, with promising reviews on Google from film critics. I sat down hoping for a thought-provoking visual feast. Two hours later I left that cinema in clouds of despair, and depressed by all aspects of it. I just thought it was awful, in so many ways. Some people walked out before it ended. I don't want to get into spoilers, but has anyone seen this? I just don't understand the rave reviews and feel like I missed something.

The acting was great I agree, scenery wonderful and I liked the odd humour and civil war theme.

But I think it was just way too far fetched for me, it was trying to be meaningful and it just didn’t hit the mark I think because the fingers thing was too crazy and kind of stole the show.

It did feel uncomfortably close to rural Irish life, which isn’t a bad thing, but also a bit stereotypical with the old ‘sessions’ and man with cows. So it was close but not nuanced enough to hit home. Still, a lot of interesting things about it to be worth a watch.

I hated it. Grim, violent and sad.

Watched it with DH at the weekend, I enjoyed it. The acting from the two main characters, plus the young man who played Dominic, was top quality.
Loved the confessional scene with the petulant priest who refused to absolve Colm.
I knew the pub owner looked familiar, had to Google it to find out he was the "I shot JR" guy from Father Ted.

being Irish and aware of a lot of the connotations it probably helped, but it’s a fantastic story. Difficult to watch. It’s gruesome and funny and tragic and shines a light on human psychology all at once. Gleason and the chap playing Dominic are outstanding

Saw it a couple of days ago and really enjoyed it.

I’m on the other side of the world, but went to see it with DH, and MIL - who’s out visiting for a month from the west of Ireland. We’ve been to all those places (obviously, they have), and the landscape and beaches where MIL lives are just the same.

She was pleasantly surprised that the audience laughed in all the right places and got Irish humour.

The accents didn’t feel entirely right to me, but they didn’t jar. Even now, in 2023 (or 2003 when I met him), I struggle to always understand my 80YO FIL - who himself was raised in a tiny stone cottage (long-since ruined) on a much tinier island than Inis Mór off the west coast.

I can entirely believe the falling out occurring, and the metaphor for the civil war was poignant.

I really liked Dominic, he was beautifully played.

I haven’t seen In Bruges, but I understand it’s a narrative-based film with lots of dialogue between Farrell and Gleason and their chemistry is great. This will be different for people expecting that sort of thing.

Colin was stand-out in it.

Good acting , good set but terrible plot . Martin macdonagh does 'stage oirish' rather than Irish Irish and speaking in modern idiom
in a period film is annoying

We loved it & have had many conversations about it since. Both between ourselves & with friends.
I thought Colin Farrell was outstanding as was Dominic. Actually they all were. I have a friend from West Meath & she had the EXACT same accent as Siobhan.
It lifts my heat to experience first rate cinema/ theater/ art & I feel this story has embedded itself into my mind forever

I absolutely loved it. Did anyone spot how the old lady was waving across the lake to Siobhan (beckoning?), only it turns out later she may have been beckoning poor Dominic instead. She uses his own stick with a hook in it that he found... I reckon she's meant to be the banshee. I also think she's the dark figure in the background as Padraig waves his sister goodbye off the cliffs.

I reckon any film where you're still thinking of it a day later is either great or terrible, and this was the former. And it WAS funny, albeit very darkly!

Mrs McCormick is absolutely the banshee.

I am looking forward to watching it again. I’m glad I saw it in the cinema as I know if I’d watched it for the first time at home, I would have been distracted and wouldn’t have got into it (The Power of the Dog was a write-off for me on that front).

I reckon any film where you're still thinking of it a day later is either great or terrible, and this was the former.

Yes ^^

Does anyone know why the sister says there are Spanish people where she is on the mainland in her letter home?

There were a lot of Spanish traders coming to the South of Ireland, so presumably it’s a reference to that…? @Jewel1968
There was a long standing myth that it was because of the Spanish Armada when some sailors were shipwrecked.
I think the banshees (plural) is a nod to all the undercurrents of violence (the policeman to anyone who upsets him (“the law”) and to Dominic, the civil war, the violence of the end of the friendship, the hand business etc. all foretelling of death and destruction for what appear to be misguided and petty reasons (which clash with poor Dominic’s reality).

@Facecream I had wondered if it was a reference to the Spanish Armada or Spanish Point. Never heard about Spanish traders in the 20s. Interesting

There was a long standing myth that it was because of the Spanish Armada when some sailors were shipwrecked.

The Ulster Museum in Belfast has an interesting display about this.

Dominic was fantastic, so damaged and heartbreaking.

Totally shoehorning it in, but if you haven't seen an Cailín Ciúin, I highly recommend for high feeling.

Yeah I thought it was shit and sick

It’s on Disney+ now. After watching both that and The Menu (at separate times) all I could think was “what the fuck have I just watched?” Both had some amazing acting (especially banshees)and amazing sets/background, plus great cinematography, but seriously, WTF? Is this how most adult films (and it seems, increasingly, tv series) are going to be now? Bizarre, depressing, possibly no actual story, no (or a shit) ending?

I thought it was bloody fantastic. Acting was fantastic too!

I liked it. It was sombre but there was lightness too.

If this is the future of film and TV I'm excited for it!

Nooooooo😱😱 I really don’t mind bleak (loved many thing along those lines), but I like and actual, vaguely believable story to go along with it. Neither of these had that for me.

Absolutely brilliant film. Beautiful, funny, heartbreaking, incredible acting, and really thought provoking.

I loved The Menu!

This though - no. And I was a big fan of Three Billboards. It was the tip over into absurdity with the fingers that did it for me, and the weird way Dominic's dad's abuse was initially introduced as comedy with him sitting naked in the hat. I don't like what I would class as "absurdist" comedy scenes such as men throwing their own fingers...

Loved it. Almost certain it will become a comparative set text somewhere. Complex themes, excellent dialogue.

Yeah & I loved it too. I did watch it over two nights though. The acting is wonderful.

However, The Menu really blew me away! Brilliant film.

Holy cats. I watched this on Netflix. I was drawn in by the great acting and astounding cinematography. But the plot was crushing. As a parent, i just don’t have emotional or psychological energy for this much strife, conflict and unkindness. I just couldn’t finish it. I gave up when it was apparent that more fingers were going to take on a life/death of their own. Too awful.