The Banshees of Inisherin (Movie) - Nomi's Pics

Naomi Weisman is a Canadian, Australian and mother of three, who loves to ramble with her dog, cook for family and friends, and laugh whenever possible.

At this time of year, I am usually on a quest to see as many Oscar contenders as possible, and this year is no different. Some years are void of any serious content and rife with mediocrity; others are very serious and sad, but the production and acting superb. So far, this year seems to be the latter.

The Banshees of Inisherin takes place in the early 1920s, during the civil war when Sinn Fein declared the majority of the island as a separate republic. The setting is on a remote island off the coast of Ireland where the inhabitants live very rural and simple lives.

It is filled with wonderful local indigenous humor, the dialect they use is a delight, the coastal views incredible, and the film submerses you into 1920s Irish life in the most effective way.

In the final analysis, how I feel about a film often depends on my mood. When the movie started, I felt like I was in for a light and cheery two hours. It gradually turned quite dark, leaving me quiet and thinking about the possible message intended for me as the viewer for several days afterward. This is often a sign of a great movie, right?

The two main actors, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson executed their roles flawlessly and deserve any accolades showered upon them. The supporting cast, actors I was unfamiliar with, were also breathtaking.

My grievance with the film is that it was absolutely bewildering to me. I was left asking myself, WTF is going on, and what is the message they are trying to convey?! My mind was overloaded, and I guess my expectation of a light and airy film left me unable to think deeply.

I am glad that I saw this film and appreciate that it made me ponder the message. I will likely watch it again now that I have researched the themes and metaphors. I am sure there are details that I missed in my striving to understand what was going on.

As for whether or not it’s a thumbs-up, I say yes, but with a caveat that you should try to be in the right frame of mind to absorb it as it should be.