The Banshees of Inisherin * * * * ½

Although a prolific playwright, Martin McDonagh gives us a film every few years.  (Thank you Martin).  He gave us Three Billboards, Seven Psychopaths, and In Bruges, all of which are very fine films.

Martin McDonagh actually understands drama, where it springs from, and what creates it.  (Surprise, surprise all the explosions and gun toting in the world will not move or excite you as one line of dialogue delivered in the right (or wrong) circumstance).

Colm gives his old friend the finger
 - literally!

It would not be a spoiler to tell you the story as the basic premise The Banshees is in every trailer.  Set on an island off the West Coast of Ireland, in a poor rural community, two friends break up. Actually Colm just tells Padraic that he wants nothing more to do with him, bringing confusion and anguish to the simple minded Padraic.

Determined to repair their relationship Padraic persists with Colm, but Colm responds by telling Padraic that each approach will result in him cutting off one of his own fingers.  A crazy thing to do under any circumstances, but as Colm is a musician the action seems particularly mad. 

Outside their little island a civil war rages on the mainland and at times the sound of guns and explosions can be heard.  Is this cruel destruction of friendship a metaphor for "The Troubles?"  I can't say for sure but what we have is a very fine, yet melancholic drama. I mean, it is really sad at times. The music is both gorgeous and mournful and strangely haunting. The landscape inevitably beautiful.

Shunning and rejection is an awful thing and the drama primarily comes from that, cloaked in Gaelic mystery, parochialism and poverty.

The two characters are brilliantly played by Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell.  This is their first time working together since In Bruges and the chemistry is just as good. There is also a fine performance from Barry Keoghan as the abused son of the local policeman and Kerry Condon as Padraic's sister.