Sometimes your location really matters when it comes to where one views a movie. If I had seen The Banshees of Inisherin in my new hometown of Sarasota, the sultry outside may have been too much of a mismatch for me to enjoy the film as thoroughly as I did. But in my OLD hometown of chilly, dark Rochester NY, The Banshees took on a welcoming luminous lantern.
My adoration of the film is unique since I HATED Three Billboards of whatever the heck…and I consider that the downfall of one of my favorite actors, Sam Rockwell. He played such a horrible person in that film that he hasn’t gotten a decent part since. So trust me, I went in with a cynical attitude to The Banshees.
But I couldn’t have been more thrilled. First the screenplay was concise. Along with the franchise I’d love an entrepreneur to help me with called Deep People (a dating app and bar/restaurant No Cell phone Book Readers theme) MacDonagh gets that simple is best. The cinematography by Ben Davis, divine. As evidence to both writing and cinematography, the animals with their knowing eyes were quite moving (and this is from a cat only/roll my eyes at dog lovers woman).
The acting off the charts: Colin Farrel (his eyebrows alone should get an Oscar), Barry Keoghan (who I called back in Killing of the Sacred Deer should get a supporting Oscar nom, genius acting), Brendan Gleeson is also wonderful as well as Kerry Condon who is spot on as Colin’s sister.
The basic plot is: a friend is rejected and can not accept being canceled, especially considering they live on a tiny island in 1923 Ireland. Ironically, I always felt like I was on an unfriendly island when I lived in Rochester, yet now when I go back, I’m there to see my precious son, so being in my own motherly love bubble, I don’t notice, nor care the frigidity and cloistering of others.
Speaking of my son, we were both so moved at the end of this film, we simply sat in silence during the credits. So, just like friends forgiveness, I not only forgive Martin McDonagh for Three Billboards, I also forgive Rochester for being the cold blasted place it is. And in this case, the severe 40’s and rain only added to the warmth of this magnificent film.
