One thing I like about the film is that it shows that self mutilation doesn't just hurt yourself. Jenny is killed because of Colm's actions. The things you do always impact others even if you don't think they will. Great essay. I found this movie beautifully tragic. I loved it but man is it sad.
I interpreted Colm's fingers as a way for him to blame his lack of artistry on anyone but himself. He says at the start of the film that he doesn't want to be friends with Padraic because he feels the need to focus on writing great music. When he cut his fingers off, he said he would do it if Padraic kept trying to talk to him, putting the responsibility on Padraic as if he isn't the one mutilating himself. It just seemed like a way of blaming his inability to play on Padraic instead of addressing his own depression and reflecting on himself. I loved this movie, I thought it was beautifully filmed, the acting was fantastic, and the writing was clever and honest. I hope it wins it's fair share of awards at the Oscars tomorrow, especially for screenplay and supporting actress.
Oscar competition was intense, and as usual, overplayed for one movie. But it's an honor to just be nominated right? Got more than my $$ worth with Banshees. It's a movie that sticks with ya.
@@MCKevin289! I've watched the movie many times, but I only see FIVE FINGERS being cut off. Other: the old lady says, 'Your father's been dead eight years now.' Who is she referring to in the film? It's spring 1923. Was there anything in 1915? I only see the 1916 Easter Rising on Wikipedia, which is only seven years. Did a famous Irish freedom fighter die in 1915
Siobhan is the only character who thinks that BOTH Paraic and Colm are being eejits, Paraic for not letting Colm's decision go, and Colm for cutting off their long time friendship for an extremely petty reason. She also acknowledges Colm's point that life on the island is monotonous. The characters are all stuck on an island, away from the drama of the Mainland, and Siobhan deciding to leave to pursue a job on the mainland signifies her expanding her horizons, and embracing the darkness.
I was thinking about that rewatching it and I kept wondering what was going to happen to Siobhan afterwards. She’s essentially just leaving one conflict behind for a much bigger and destructive one on the mainland! Is she going to join one side or their other? Maybe she’ll fall for a handsome revolutionary or try to broker peace in a small way. The possibilities are endless.
The think is, if there was any reason to the reasoning of ending that friendship, it would have been so much more likely and overall easyer to let go and respect that decision, but it is really hard to respect a bs decision especially from a friend when it feels like they tripping themselfs with it
Siobhan represents the Irish diaspora in the film. Inisherin is Irish for little Ireland. The film is an allegory for the Civil War. It’s a very Irish way of telling a story like this. For example, in Gaelic Ireland people would go and graze their cows in the summer, so to warn against leaving to early, they came up with the story of the Brindled cow, which says wait til April to graze them.
@@samfilmkid ! Siobhan went to America. In her letter, she writes that there are many Spanish people here... Her portrayal of Irish immigrants in the movie.
If we only talk about the movie as a psychological drama, I view Colm’s behavior as a sign of sef-hatred due to depression. He wants to leave a meaningful legacy but probably holds a personal complex deep down that he’s not good or talented enough and his life is bound to be meaningless, and Paraic probably reflects that side that he hates to see from himself. That’s why whenever Paraic wants to compromise and go back to the way things were, Colm breaks down and cut his fingers. Perhaps he’s scared to face the possibility that his composition may turn out to be crap so he just decapitate his ability to make music altogether.
I still adore that we the audience are along after Colm decides to end the friendship. I like that we don't get the full context of what they were like beforehand. Just their own perspectives of their time as friends.
This helped me gain a better appreciation for the film. I miss videos like this. Would have loved some essays on other nominees this awards season, too.
Facinating perspective, I always saw this story of a broken friendship as a cautionary tale on depression. From "niceness" acting as social acceptance, a destructive gesture (Colm's fingers), and a suicide (reinforcing what happens when these calls are ignored). The one point in depression remaining is an absence of agency. Yet, Siobhan and Colm remain addicted to their sadness becuase it's the one point in their lives both men can control.
I know I shouldn’t blame him cause depression and despair make ppl do things they don’t mean… but I can’t help but almost hating Colm for hurting Pádraic so deeply. What he did was straight up evil and unforgivable. This movie was a f***ing masterpiece btw.
Oh you should absolutely blame him, depression is selfagression mainly if it turns out word like that, that's a deliberate decision. Depression hurts others automatically but he did it with intent and that is not "just how depression works" Been depressed my whole life long, pretty much all my friends suffer from depression, there are things you can not controll, but what he did where choices and for choices you absolutely are to blame
@@SingingSealRiana I suppose depression isn’t a ”one size fits all” kinda thing. Colm was giving ”hurt people hurt people” so Idk if it was all that deliberate. Either way I look at Pádraic and it just breaks my heart cause he really just went from like the sweetest, kindest soul to someone super spiteful now. Colm really just f***ed him up and for that I will always low-key hate him.
I don't think this has been mentioned, apologies if it has. When Siobahn posts her letter accepting the job the post box is being repainted from British red to Irish green, emphasising the emergence of Ireland as a fully fledged, independent state.
Beautiful movie. In an inter-personal perspective,I also thought it was a very interesting dynamic to reflect on the importance of communication, the utter tragedy of when people don't even bother to agree or disagree on something, but simply fail to have the interest in actively listening and having a meaningful conversation. An ability we all seem to be losing.
Im a Canadian who lives in Northern Ireland, and it really is amazing to me how people here can hold a grudge. There are of course the famous murals all over Belfast, many of them commemerating deaths that happened during The Troubles, a literal constant reminder of the suffering that has been inflicted upon the 2 main communities here (Irish Catholics and British Protestants). But many Millenial NIers are giving up this behaviour of 'holding a grudge'. Many of my friends send their kids to integrated schools (meaning both Catholics and Protestants attend, whereas traditionally, they would be educated seperately). There are many 'mixed marriages', where people from opposite sides fall for each other and make a loving life together. And personally, my husband, who was raised Brit Prod and was 10 when the Peace Treaty was signed, has actively tried to teach himself Irish culture and history, not wanting to continue the pervasive, shared tradition of victimhood and inherited trauma, but rather embracing education, forgiveness, and community with all. I adore living in NI. All of the archetypes in Banshees are still very much all real and alive here today, 100 years after the Civil War first started. And though there has been real suffering inflicted here by both sides---- and there are still so many who remain mired in the past---- it is heartening to me that so many people are insistent on healing and moving on 💖🇨🇮🇬🇧
I adore your thorough analysis of the entire conflict being an analogy for the Civil War, in that it started over something fairly minor. By the end, Paraic is a bitter man, having lost two of his close friends, his Donkey and his sister. Siobhan's absence is the final straw, and that she been present, she might have tried to persuade him not to burn down Colm's house, or to end the feud.
An important aspect of the Civil War in this context is that it's widely seen as somewhat pointless, in the long term. The pro treaty side won militarily, but then the anti treaty leader De Valera took power, and ended up following the assassinated pro treaty leader Michael Collins' original vision for gradual independence. A lot of viewers were puzzled as to why Colm would do himself such harm, just as many people are puzzled as to why Ireland did itself such harm.
I wonder if the name Pádraic was chosen because it sounds very similar to Pyrrhic, as in a "Pyrrhic Victory" -- or a battle that is hardly worth winning because the costs are so great. ?
I doubt it! The narrator is not pronouncing it right. Its a common name in the Irish language and is pronounced Paw-rig. St. Patrick's Day is named after our Patron Saint Padraig
Woah. How’d I miss all this?! Seems clear now. Love it even more. I just thought it was a wild crazy ride of a movie. But a metaphor of broken brotherhood in Ireland, and broadly, ourselves. Damn. Gold. I wanna be the old lady
I have been on both ends. I understand both characters. The loneliness, anguish, the mental shock of losing someone and also the feeling of letting them lose you. As far as Irish history goes, it's a feeling that still lives there. I went for the first time almost 5 years ago and they are definitely some of the warmest, funniest people with sadness and melancholy in their being that I have ever met. I love this movie so much!
I don’t have that much to back this up but I feel like we as the audience also fit the description of a Banshee given by Brendan Gleason. I’ve been thinking about that since I saw the movie
This video reminded me of the good old days on this channel. More videos like this and less on reality TV and the royal Family nonsense in the future from you guys, please.
that was a very interesting and eye opening take for me. Thanks for sharing with us. As someone who is living in a country with the longest civil war in history, I see this movie even sadder than it already is after watching this video. I would have different perspective when I rewatch this movie in the future.
Lisa & I met in in 2003. Not a day went by w/o us texting. I considered her family & she ditched me in 2021 for her own artist endeavors. I wish her all the best
Great video as always👍 - covers all the important points, perceptive analysis, fun delivery. FYI, the name Pádraig is pronounced Paw-rig or Paw-drig (it starts the same way as the English words "paw", "pawn" & "pause") - I hate to be a nitpicky grammar nazi, but hearing it pronounced Pah-rig was kinda making my brain explode.
What’s crazy about this movie for me is that I had gone through the exact same scenario just a year prior to seeing it. So I was very much on Colin Farrell’s side the entire time. Still am. But man this video was therapeutic for me…
I fecking love this movie. My interpretation is that the fingers represent the artistic potential that Brendan is wasting if he keeps hanging out with Colin.
I always saw it more through a political lens and the fingers represent the occupied six counties of Derry, Antrim, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone, and Armagh.
I think the comparisons go deeper. Éamon de Valera considered himself a man of intellect and culture while Michael Collins was more a man of action. In any case, not enough Americans know about Irish history, a tragedy since, for many of us, Irish history is our history. It was hammered into us that the "Glorious Revolution" was a foundation for American democracy since it was a bloodless revolution where Parliament replaced the king. Then I took a class on Irish history in college and learned that it was far from bloodless, and William of Orange is the reason for the orange on the Irish flag and the namesake of the Orangemen, a major part of the sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. Wish St. Patrick's Day events in schools actually taught something about Irish history and culture instead of celebrating the Lucky Charms mascot (cuz Irish leprechauns aren't smiley cartoons).
I remember learning about the Glorious Revolution. My history teacher who was Irish like me said a throwaway line to the class like “it was glorious unless if you were Irish.” Now, I teach history in the same school. But I know for a fact that unless if your history teacher is Irish they won’t know that whole background from seeing how some of my colleagues teach it. A lot of my kiddos are Indian so I teach British imperial history pretty extensively.
Very interesting--thanks. The historical backdrop you provide gave me a deeper appreciation of the movie. I enjoyed it the first time I saw it--especially the dialogue--but Colm cutting off his fingers seemed too extreme and unrealistic. I'll watch it again with your analysis in mind.
I feel like colm wasn’t really condescending or spiteful by hurting himself. I got more of the idea that he was suicidal and throwing the fingers at the door to tell his ex-friend you need to leave me alone, its hurting me. It was more of him screaming let me go I’m going to die if u dont
Colm has a mental health problem. Which manifests itself in despair and self harm. No one on Inisherin is equipped to help and they cant outsource the problem to more competent people on the mainland due to the civil war. If the Policeman had been a decent public servant and not a corrupt and violent scumbag then this could have prevented the finger chopping. The Priest could have assisted with his despair problem by providing competent pastoral counseling. This is the central tragedy of the film. The lesser tragedy is that of Siobhan. She uses escapism via reading constantly and eventually moving away to work in a library so she can spend even more time escaping through books. It is certainly healthier than self harm but it is sad that she can't stick around for her brother and neighbours. Inisherin is a beautiful place and should be an idyll but due to all these factors its a failure.
I watched Banshees last night, and then got up and read critiques here, there, and everywhere, and I've watched a few film theory vids. I think the movie is more about displacement than anything else. Colm blames his lack of success and his long term lack of direction on being around dull people -- he's much older than Padraic so if he isn't "Mozart" by his age, well, wouldn't that be due to a lot of things besides his friend's dullness? One reviewer called Padraic out for being a "nice" person, and that somehow being kind is dull and holds other people back. Hmmm...trying to wrap my head around that theory. Anyway, when Colm cuts his fingers off, his compositional tools, and puts the responsibility for his new inability to play anything on Padraic, Colm is looking for a scapegoat for all the times he could have been composing but chose not to. So an afternoon drink with a person to whom it means the world is the reason Colm never composed anything? Maybe Colm fears that he himself is too "dull" to write an good ballad. Colm is depressed, but he is also very manipulative. In displacing and blaming his choices on Padraic he is also being cruel; if he looked inward perhaps he'd have to recognize he's never had the talent. Padraic is an easy target, because Colm knows how important he is to Padraic, a man who lives with his sister and who's only other friend is a miniature pet donkey, and who is "nice" enough to be deeply harmed by Colm's rejection. Colm, being more intelligent, being older, knows this. I can't remember the scene, but at one point Colm admits that his lack of left hand fingers "is a bit of a relief." No hand, no music, no ability, no opportunity to try but fail. Colm doesn't seem to care who he hurts so long as he doesn't have to face himself, and maiming himself proves he's willing to go to extreme lengths not to.
Great film. That dude is from my hometown. Idk why he likes Ireland so much, lol. The director that is. Quickly becoming my favourite director. -In Bruges (It's in Belgium) is still my favorite. - 3 billboards - The Banshees - 6 shooter is really good. - 7 psychopaths he's trying to get Americans involved, he tries but did a much better job with 3 billboards
His parents were both Irish and he actually filmed this movie on the island where they were both from and spent a good part of his childhood on. Have you read his plays? All of his first ones take place around there too.
I tried to watch trying very hard to glean some meaning from this disturbing film. I fell asleep and when I awoke the little donkey had died, when I saw Colm with his bleeding hand and fingers missing it was enough. This empath had to turn it off. No redemption here.
I need to see the movie but I am hesitant because I don’t like seeing animals die and Jenny looks so cute. I can relate I have had a friendship end abruptly and it hurt. I think from what I hear he should have let it go or gave him space. However the movie needs to happen lol
It's also alluded to (but not shown unlike Dominic's attack), that Dominic's sister is being sexually abused by the her policeman father. Dominic asks Padraig if he's seen his sister naked and Padraig's confused and disgusted response makes him realise that this isn't common in all families.
@@kanadop473 it is an Irish spelling and pronunciation for Patrick, there are other spellings like "lá fhéile pádraig!" - happy st Patrick's Day! (still pronounced the same way 🙂)
I felt that Colm was depressed and his reason to stop talking to Padraic was because he was "happy" and that satisfaction with life was annoying him. You can see Colm having fun with other people and that breaks Padraics heart as he is insecure and feels his friendship with Colm as his most precious pissession. He has chances to cultivate friendships with other men, but he wants his relationship with Colm back like it was. His sister had to flee or be sucked into the negativity. I feel that Colm cutting off his fingers, he is trying to build a permant wall betwen him and Padraic that will isolate him and let him wallow in his despair, possibly considering suicide. The old lady says one death, maybe two, one is Dom and the other will be whichever one of the men that gets killed by the other.
Colm sacrifices most important thing in his life to help his friend to move away from depression and sadness. Colm knows his life is stagnant and don't want his best friend to end like that. Paraig is selfish and indifferent to other people problems. Siobhan is the only that understand depression (Banshee) and decided to move on with her life while everyone else avoiding and hiding from her. That's my take.
I interpret this as a reminder of how useless and pointless war is. It's a never ending cicle and everything could be resolved with one honest and deep conversation
The clip and the comments here show that this is one of those films in which you can see pretty much anything you like. Is any of it really there? I'm not so sure. The falling-out between the two is under-motivated and arbitrary. They hint at a connection to the civil war - which is hardly a live issue now - or maybe the Troubles generally, but really what is the similarity? The dark and comic elements undercut one another and the end result is unsatisfying. There is no 'endless cycle of wrongdoing', the film would be better if there was. Maybe the whole thing was simply spun out of Brendan Gleeson's ability to play fiddle, and doesn't really mean anything much. Anyway Yanks have no hope of deciphering it, they understand nothing about Ireland.
What I need to know is, did the writer/director explain all this layered meaning to his actors. iow, Did they know what they were doing? ps - Dominic wasn’t the village idiot. He was a lot more knowledgeable about the world than the 2 protagonists. "Is he 12?" "It’s French." / pps - bansheeS? I think he was a banshee.
Love this film. 'Padraig' sounds like Pourig but in English it's Patrick not sure what the narrator is saying lol "Parrig"? I think this was an overall good video, thank you
Here's a summary: Meta humor for the sake of meta humor alone does not make good entertainment. In reality it just shows how empty the concept is if you don't use it to make a bigger point. All it does is show the empty machinery that serves as the skeleton with which to build deep characters, interesting lore, and powerful relationships that can move beyond many of the basic tropes in genres.
Sorry- I know there is only so much that can be said in a video, but around 1:21 it’s said that Ireland won independence. This is not accurate, Westminster propped up the free state who’s members would have to swear an oath of to the English King. A vassal state subservient to English dictate. They had already partitioned the country. So the two sides of the civil war do not share the same moral principled ground.
Sometimes friendships aren't as strong as you think. I used to think I had a best friend but ever since I told them I voted for Donald Trump they just stopped talking to me. Funny thing was he was a Republican but severely disliked Trump for some reason.
"For some reason" is an interesting phrase. You know there are many lifelong republicans who despise Trump. Go to Steve Schmidt's youtube channel The Warning with Steve Schmidt if you want to understand why. Schmidt was a lifelong Republican who worked for political candidates to get them elected. Campaign manager for John McCain's presidential run, i believe. In a nutshell, Trump doesn't believe in the same values embedded into our Republic, the 2 big ones being the rule of law and elections. Those 2 aspects constrain his ambitions in ways he finds unacceptable.
I mean, I'd also stop being friends with a person who said they voted for a man who was racist, sexist, homophobic, etc. It's not "just politics", it's a difference in morals.
@@reyfairburn5023 he wasn't more racist, sexist, homophobic, etc than his candidates but the media tried their damndest to portray him as such. However I'm not easily convinced by media hit pieces like certain people.
@@reyfairburn5023 But are those actually as bad as hostility to rule of law and elections? Historically, what % of presidents were racist, sexist and homophobes?
You never mentioned him cutting his fingers off was his subconscious desire to quell the music of his own death march, the death march of his younger self he sees in his friend. the hook was the boys originally (else it would be too sinister despite the fact that is was seemingly destined that the boy be carrying the tool to fetch his corpse) , my guess is that it represents something in between a scythe for harvest, and a shepherds hook for control/ guidance, that its the union of two, and to see the act of death and lost love as either of the extremes misses that the perspective of the individual is what puts both, the meaning into lifes happenings, and instills a plan into "god" where there is none, this doesn't mean that the presence of gods power is absent in the film, but that if the presence was there through the meaningful coincidences that occurred, they serve more as a reflection of ones own preconceived misconceptions about reality. God is a mirror. Both of the men are correct and both are incorrect. I'm sure in the end, they both realized they did it to themselves.
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One thing I like about the film is that it shows that self mutilation doesn't just hurt yourself. Jenny is killed because of Colm's actions. The things you do always impact others even if you don't think they will. Great essay. I found this movie beautifully tragic. I loved it but man is it sad.
I interpreted Colm's fingers as a way for him to blame his lack of artistry on anyone but himself. He says at the start of the film that he doesn't want to be friends with Padraic because he feels the need to focus on writing great music. When he cut his fingers off, he said he would do it if Padraic kept trying to talk to him, putting the responsibility on Padraic as if he isn't the one mutilating himself. It just seemed like a way of blaming his inability to play on Padraic instead of addressing his own depression and reflecting on himself. I loved this movie, I thought it was beautifully filmed, the acting was fantastic, and the writing was clever and honest. I hope it wins it's fair share of awards at the Oscars tomorrow, especially for screenplay and supporting actress.
Correct
If you count the fingers Colm cut off, he cuts six off, one for each county Ireland gave up for her independence.
Great take!
Oscar competition was intense, and as usual, overplayed for one movie. But it's an honor to just be nominated right? Got more than my $$ worth with Banshees. It's a movie that sticks with ya.
@@MCKevin289! I've watched the movie many times, but I only see FIVE FINGERS being cut off. Other: the old lady says, 'Your father's been dead eight years now.' Who is she referring to in the film? It's spring 1923. Was there anything in 1915? I only see the 1916 Easter Rising on Wikipedia, which is only seven years. Did a famous Irish freedom fighter die in 1915
Siobhan is the only character who thinks that BOTH Paraic and Colm are being eejits, Paraic for not letting Colm's decision go, and Colm for cutting off their long time friendship for an extremely petty reason. She also acknowledges Colm's point that life on the island is monotonous. The characters are all stuck on an island, away from the drama of the Mainland, and Siobhan deciding to leave to pursue a job on the mainland signifies her expanding her horizons, and embracing the darkness.
I was thinking about that rewatching it and I kept wondering what was going to happen to Siobhan afterwards. She’s essentially just leaving one conflict behind for a much bigger and destructive one on the mainland! Is she going to join one side or their other? Maybe she’ll fall for a handsome revolutionary or try to broker peace in a small way. The possibilities are endless.
The think is, if there was any reason to the reasoning of ending that friendship, it would have been so much more likely and overall easyer to let go and respect that decision, but it is really hard to respect a bs decision especially from a friend when it feels like they tripping themselfs with it
Siobhan represents the Irish diaspora in the film. Inisherin is Irish for little Ireland. The film is an allegory for the Civil War. It’s a very Irish way of telling a story like this. For example, in Gaelic Ireland people would go and graze their cows in the summer, so to warn against leaving to early, they came up with the story of the Brindled cow, which says wait til April to graze them.
@@samfilmkid ! Siobhan went to America. In her letter, she writes that there are many Spanish people here... Her portrayal of Irish immigrants in the movie.
If we only talk about the movie as a psychological drama, I view Colm’s behavior as a sign of sef-hatred due to depression. He wants to leave a meaningful legacy but probably holds a personal complex deep down that he’s not good or talented enough and his life is bound to be meaningless, and Paraic probably reflects that side that he hates to see from himself. That’s why whenever Paraic wants to compromise and go back to the way things were, Colm breaks down and cut his fingers. Perhaps he’s scared to face the possibility that his composition may turn out to be crap so he just decapitate his ability to make music altogether.
Projection! Right! Good one.
I still adore that we the audience are along after Colm decides to end the friendship. I like that we don't get the full context of what they were like beforehand. Just their own perspectives of their time as friends.
This helped me gain a better appreciation for the film. I miss videos like this.
Would have loved some essays on other nominees this awards season, too.
This movie is the anti-Hallmark movie. It’s about a breakup and how living in a small town absolutely sucks.
Facinating perspective, I always saw this story of a broken friendship as a cautionary tale on depression. From "niceness" acting as social acceptance, a destructive gesture (Colm's fingers), and a suicide (reinforcing what happens when these calls are ignored). The one point in depression remaining is an absence of agency. Yet, Siobhan and Colm remain addicted to their sadness becuase it's the one point in their lives both men can control.
I know I shouldn’t blame him cause depression and despair make ppl do things they don’t mean… but I can’t help but almost hating Colm for hurting Pádraic so deeply. What he did was straight up evil and unforgivable.
This movie was a f***ing masterpiece btw.
Oh you should absolutely blame him, depression is selfagression mainly if it turns out word like that, that's a deliberate decision. Depression hurts others automatically but he did it with intent and that is not "just how depression works"
Been depressed my whole life long, pretty much all my friends suffer from depression, there are things you can not controll, but what he did where choices and for choices you absolutely are to blame
@@SingingSealRiana I suppose depression isn’t a ”one size fits all” kinda thing. Colm was giving ”hurt people hurt people” so Idk if it was all that deliberate. Either way I look at Pádraic and it just breaks my heart cause he really just went from like the sweetest, kindest soul to someone super spiteful now. Colm really just f***ed him up and for that I will always low-key hate him.
I don't think this has been mentioned, apologies if it has. When Siobahn posts her letter accepting the job the post box is being repainted from British red to Irish green, emphasising the emergence of Ireland as a fully fledged, independent state.
Great analysis of one of the best movies of 2022. It deserves to win the Oscar for best picture!
Beautiful movie. In an inter-personal perspective,I also thought it was a very interesting dynamic to reflect on the importance of communication, the utter tragedy of when people don't even bother to agree or disagree on something, but simply fail to have the interest in actively listening and having a meaningful conversation. An ability we all seem to be losing.
Im a Canadian who lives in Northern Ireland, and it really is amazing to me how people here can hold a grudge. There are of course the famous murals all over Belfast, many of them commemerating deaths that happened during The Troubles, a literal constant reminder of the suffering that has been inflicted upon the 2 main communities here (Irish Catholics and British Protestants).
But many Millenial NIers are giving up this behaviour of 'holding a grudge'. Many of my friends send their kids to integrated schools (meaning both Catholics and Protestants attend, whereas traditionally, they would be educated seperately). There are many 'mixed marriages', where people from opposite sides fall for each other and make a loving life together. And personally, my husband, who was raised Brit Prod and was 10 when the Peace Treaty was signed, has actively tried to teach himself Irish culture and history, not wanting to continue the pervasive, shared tradition of victimhood and inherited trauma, but rather embracing education, forgiveness, and community with all.
I adore living in NI. All of the archetypes in Banshees are still very much all real and alive here today, 100 years after the Civil War first started. And though there has been real suffering inflicted here by both sides---- and there are still so many who remain mired in the past---- it is heartening to me that so many people are insistent on healing and moving on 💖🇨🇮🇬🇧
I adore your thorough analysis of the entire conflict being an analogy for the Civil War, in that it started over something fairly minor. By the end, Paraic is a bitter man, having lost two of his close friends, his Donkey and his sister. Siobhan's absence is the final straw, and that she been present, she might have tried to persuade him not to burn down Colm's house, or to end the feud.
An important aspect of the Civil War in this context is that it's widely seen as somewhat pointless, in the long term. The pro treaty side won militarily, but then the anti treaty leader De Valera took power, and ended up following the assassinated pro treaty leader Michael Collins' original vision for gradual independence.
A lot of viewers were puzzled as to why Colm would do himself such harm, just as many people are puzzled as to why Ireland did itself such harm.
@@mankytoes
Colm cuts six fingers off. Ireland is missing six counties. Siobhan represents those like my great grandpa who fecked off to America.
@@mankytoes
For the record, Im related to a very minor Irish founding father who stayed and was pro-treaty. He helped Dev escape a prison in England.
so happy to see more contemporary film analysis!! i love y'all's perspectives and hope to see all of the Oscar noms this year highlighted
I wonder if the name Pádraic was chosen because it sounds very similar to Pyrrhic, as in a "Pyrrhic Victory" -- or a battle that is hardly worth winning because the costs are so great. ?
I doubt it! The narrator is not pronouncing it right. Its a common name in the Irish language and is pronounced Paw-rig. St. Patrick's Day is named after our Patron Saint Padraig
Woah. How’d I miss all this?! Seems clear now. Love it even more. I just thought it was a wild crazy ride of a movie. But a metaphor of broken brotherhood in Ireland, and broadly, ourselves. Damn. Gold.
I wanna be the old lady
I have been on both ends. I understand both characters. The loneliness, anguish, the mental shock of losing someone and also the feeling of letting them lose you. As far as Irish history goes, it's a feeling that still lives there. I went for the first time almost 5 years ago and they are definitely some of the warmest, funniest people with sadness and melancholy in their being that I have ever met. I love this movie so much!
I don’t have that much to back this up but I feel like we as the audience also fit the description of a Banshee given by Brendan Gleason. I’ve been thinking about that since I saw the movie
This video reminded me of the good old days on this channel. More videos like this and less on reality TV and the royal Family nonsense in the future from you guys, please.
Yes! They took one of the best film analysis channels and made it into a bitch fest. I was so excited to see a real essay again.
that was a very interesting and eye opening take for me. Thanks for sharing with us. As someone who is living in a country with the longest civil war in history, I see this movie even sadder than it already is after watching this video. I would have different perspective when I rewatch this movie in the future.
I have not seen this movie, nor do I plan to, but my GOD I need this chanel to talk about movies again, heres my view 👍
Lisa & I met in in 2003. Not a day went by w/o us texting. I considered her family & she ditched me in 2021 for her own artist endeavors. I wish her all the best
Genuinely impressed by the level of knowledge about Irish history and culture here, great essay
Thanks for this breakdown. Keep up the good work.
One thing I noticed is that the hand Colm cuts his fingers off of is also the same hand that’s on the Ulster Flag.
Great video as always👍 - covers all the important points, perceptive analysis, fun delivery.
FYI, the name Pádraig is pronounced Paw-rig or Paw-drig (it starts the same way as the English words "paw", "pawn" & "pause") - I hate to be a nitpicky grammar nazi, but hearing it pronounced Pah-rig was kinda making my brain explode.
Hahaha, thank you. The constant mispronunciation was painful. It's not that hard to find the correct pronunciation of any name ur doing a video on.
Jenny's death was a symbolic death for padraic as he was no longer the same person after death.
What’s crazy about this movie for me is that I had gone through the exact same scenario just a year prior to seeing it. So I was very much on Colin Farrell’s side the entire time. Still am. But man this video was therapeutic for me…
Sorry to hear you are dull
I fecking love this movie. My interpretation is that the fingers represent the artistic potential that Brendan is wasting if he keeps hanging out with Colin.
It's Callum and Padraig! 🙀🙀
That's a neat interpretation, I like it!
I always saw it more through a political lens and the fingers represent the occupied six counties of Derry, Antrim, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone, and Armagh.
I think the comparisons go deeper. Éamon de Valera considered himself a man of intellect and culture while Michael Collins was more a man of action.
In any case, not enough Americans know about Irish history, a tragedy since, for many of us, Irish history is our history. It was hammered into us that the "Glorious Revolution" was a foundation for American democracy since it was a bloodless revolution where Parliament replaced the king. Then I took a class on Irish history in college and learned that it was far from bloodless, and William of Orange is the reason for the orange on the Irish flag and the namesake of the Orangemen, a major part of the sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. Wish St. Patrick's Day events in schools actually taught something about Irish history and culture instead of celebrating the Lucky Charms mascot (cuz Irish leprechauns aren't smiley cartoons).
I remember learning about the Glorious Revolution. My history teacher who was Irish like me said a throwaway line to the class like “it was glorious unless if you were Irish.” Now, I teach history in the same school. But I know for a fact that unless if your history teacher is Irish they won’t know that whole background from seeing how some of my colleagues teach it. A lot of my kiddos are Indian so I teach British imperial history pretty extensively.
I miss your movie analysis videos. Hope to see more of them! Especially for some of the Oscar nominees like Tár , All Quiet, or Triangle of Sadness
Great video love this movie. Ive been thinking about this film and writing about it. I think the themes in the film are very thoughtful and deep.
Very interesting--thanks. The historical backdrop you provide gave me a deeper appreciation of the movie. I enjoyed it the first time I saw it--especially the dialogue--but Colm cutting off his fingers seemed too extreme and unrealistic. I'll watch it again with your analysis in mind.
I was looking for your video about this film yesterday. Nice timing!
This metaphor makes it look like the civil war was just mindless fighting
Great break down. The movie felt slow to me and I didn’t get some of it.
I feel like colm wasn’t really condescending or spiteful by hurting himself. I got more of the idea that he was suicidal and throwing the fingers at the door to tell his ex-friend you need to leave me alone, its hurting me. It was more of him screaming let me go I’m going to die if u dont
The film is a masterpiece in my opinion. I hope it wins best picture.
Colm has a mental health problem. Which manifests itself in despair and self harm. No one on Inisherin is equipped to help and they cant outsource the problem to more competent people on the mainland due to the civil war.
If the Policeman had been a decent public servant and not a corrupt and violent scumbag then this could have prevented the finger chopping. The Priest could have assisted with his despair problem by providing competent pastoral counseling.
This is the central tragedy of the film. The lesser tragedy is that of Siobhan. She uses escapism via reading constantly and eventually moving away to work in a library so she can spend even more time escaping through books. It is certainly healthier than self harm but it is sad that she can't stick around for her brother and neighbours. Inisherin is a beautiful place and should be an idyll but due to all these factors its a failure.
It's pronounced Paw-rick. You even included a clip where Colm says his name and pronounces it correctly
This analysis is wonderfully done. Usually these are nonsense. But this is great
I watched Banshees last night, and then got up and read critiques here, there, and everywhere, and I've watched a few film theory vids. I think the movie is more about displacement than anything else. Colm blames his lack of success and his long term lack of direction on being around dull people -- he's much older than Padraic so if he isn't "Mozart" by his age, well, wouldn't that be due to a lot of things besides his friend's dullness? One reviewer called Padraic out for being a "nice" person, and that somehow being kind is dull and holds other people back. Hmmm...trying to wrap my head around that theory. Anyway, when Colm cuts his fingers off, his compositional tools, and puts the responsibility for his new inability to play anything on Padraic, Colm is looking for a scapegoat for all the times he could have been composing but chose not to. So an afternoon drink with a person to whom it means the world is the reason Colm never composed anything? Maybe Colm fears that he himself is too "dull" to write an good ballad. Colm is depressed, but he is also very manipulative. In displacing and blaming his choices on Padraic he is also being cruel; if he looked inward perhaps he'd have to recognize he's never had the talent. Padraic is an easy target, because Colm knows how important he is to Padraic, a man who lives with his sister and who's only other friend is a miniature pet donkey, and who is "nice" enough to be deeply harmed by Colm's rejection. Colm, being more intelligent, being older, knows this. I can't remember the scene, but at one point Colm admits that his lack of left hand fingers "is a bit of a relief." No hand, no music, no ability, no opportunity to try but fail. Colm doesn't seem to care who he hurts so long as he doesn't have to face himself, and maiming himself proves he's willing to go to extreme lengths not to.
I just watched it few days ago!! What a pleasant coincidence
Great film. That dude is from my hometown. Idk why he likes Ireland so much, lol. The director that is.
Quickly becoming my favourite director.
-In Bruges (It's in Belgium) is still my favorite.
- 3 billboards
- The Banshees
- 6 shooter is really good.
- 7 psychopaths he's trying to get Americans involved, he tries but did a much better job with 3 billboards
His parents were both Irish and he actually filmed this movie on the island where they were both from and spent a good part of his childhood on. Have you read his plays? All of his first ones take place around there too.
Why didn’t you wave hello to me today when I waved hello to you today
Love the take on movies.
I tried to watch trying very hard to glean some meaning from this disturbing film. I fell asleep and when I awoke the little donkey had died, when I saw Colm with his bleeding hand and fingers missing it was enough. This empath had to turn it off. No redemption here.
This is 'the take I loved!!!
I need to see the movie but I am hesitant because I don’t like seeing animals die and Jenny looks so cute. I can relate I have had a friendship end abruptly and it hurt. I think from what I hear he should have let it go or gave him space. However the movie needs to happen lol
Please do character analysis on the glory.
That's what I want to see too
This movie is so incredibly sad
It's also alluded to (but not shown unlike Dominic's attack), that Dominic's sister is being sexually abused by the her policeman father.
Dominic asks Padraig if he's seen his sister naked and Padraig's confused and disgusted response makes him realise that this isn't common in all families.
Pádraic is pronounced Paw-rick
Barry Keoghan is Kyo-ghan not Coogan 🙈
It is an Irish form if Patrick?
@@kanadop473 it is an Irish spelling and pronunciation for Patrick, there are other spellings like "lá fhéile pádraig!" - happy st Patrick's Day! (still pronounced the same way 🙂)
@@kanadop473
It is!
Might be a dialect thing. Where I am in Clare, Pádraig is pronounced Paw-drig
I felt that Colm was depressed and his reason to stop talking to Padraic was because he was "happy" and that satisfaction with life was annoying him. You can see Colm having fun with other people and that breaks Padraics heart as he is insecure and feels his friendship with Colm as his most precious pissession. He has chances to cultivate friendships with other men, but he wants his relationship with Colm back like it was. His sister had to flee or be sucked into the negativity. I feel that Colm cutting off his fingers, he is trying to build a permant wall betwen him and Padraic that will isolate him and let him wallow in his despair, possibly considering suicide. The old lady says one death, maybe two, one is Dom and the other will be whichever one of the men that gets killed by the other.
Padraic is pronounced ‘Paw-rick’ just fyi!
You are giving Mcdonagh way too much intellectual credit.
Colm sacrifices most important thing in his life to help his friend to move away from depression and sadness. Colm knows his life is stagnant and don't want his best friend to end like that. Paraig is selfish and indifferent to other people problems. Siobhan is the only that understand depression (Banshee) and decided to move on with her life while everyone else avoiding and hiding from her. That's my take.
I interpret this as a reminder of how useless and pointless war is. It's a never ending cicle and everything could be resolved with one honest and deep conversation
Ok good job ❤
Biggest Oscar snub
Thank you for sharing with us! 🏳️✝️🙏
Poor Dominic ;(
ah yes the irish civil war, famous conflict that arose because one side was very dull and the other wanted a narcissistic legacy
It feels like a heartbreak 😂
I would lose it if what i consider a close friend decided to stop like me 😂
I absolutely love your videos but your pronunciation of irish names is painful to listen to
Is it just me or this video and the last feel less like The Take videos and more like Screenprism?
Hi
The clip and the comments here show that this is one of those films in which you can see pretty much anything you like. Is any of it really there? I'm not so sure. The falling-out between the two is under-motivated and arbitrary. They hint at a connection to the civil war - which is hardly a live issue now - or maybe the Troubles generally, but really what is the similarity? The dark and comic elements undercut one another and the end result is unsatisfying. There is no 'endless cycle of wrongdoing', the film would be better if there was. Maybe the whole thing was simply spun out of Brendan Gleeson's ability to play fiddle, and doesn't really mean anything much.
Anyway Yanks have no hope of deciphering it, they understand nothing about Ireland.
I've been learning all of the deeper meaning and symbolism of this movie, and I still think it sucks.
What I need to know is, did the writer/director explain all this layered meaning to his actors. iow, Did they know what they were doing?
ps - Dominic wasn’t the village idiot. He was a lot more knowledgeable about the world than the 2 protagonists. "Is he 12?" "It’s French." / pps - bansheeS? I think he was a banshee.
Love this film. 'Padraig' sounds like Pourig but in English it's Patrick not sure what the narrator is saying lol "Parrig"? I think this was an overall good video, thank you
Who else wants to here The Take's take on Velma?
Here's a summary:
Meta humor for the sake of meta humor alone does not make good entertainment. In reality it just shows how empty the concept is if you don't use it to make a bigger point. All it does is show the empty machinery that serves as the skeleton with which to build deep characters, interesting lore, and powerful relationships that can move beyond many of the basic tropes in genres.
*hear
Hate it or love
It would be a great breakdown 🎉🎉🎉🎉
@@MaskedHeart For me the show was a great big….. Meh
@@tylerwatkins2923 same.
i was checked out ep 6.
But its definitely a lesson on loads of things not to do.
Sorry- I know there is only so much that can be said in a video, but around 1:21 it’s said that Ireland won independence. This is not accurate, Westminster propped up the free state who’s members would have to swear an oath of to the English King. A vassal state subservient to English dictate. They had already partitioned the country.
So the two sides of the civil war do not share the same moral principled ground.
Great essay. Please go back to doing these instead of just doing the cultural tropes/trends you guys seem to be doing lately
Tar next
Bollux.
The mispronunciation of Pádraic here is infuriating…
It's pronounced "Paw-rig" not "Pa-rig" 🤣
Sometimes friendships aren't as strong as you think. I used to think I had a best friend but ever since I told them I voted for Donald Trump they just stopped talking to me. Funny thing was he was a Republican but severely disliked Trump for some reason.
"For some reason" is an interesting phrase. You know there are many lifelong republicans who despise Trump. Go to Steve Schmidt's youtube channel The Warning with Steve Schmidt if you want to understand why. Schmidt was a lifelong Republican who worked for political candidates to get them elected. Campaign manager for John McCain's presidential run, i believe. In a nutshell, Trump doesn't believe in the same values embedded into our Republic, the 2 big ones being the rule of law and elections. Those 2 aspects constrain his ambitions in ways he finds unacceptable.
I mean, I'd also stop being friends with a person who said they voted for a man who was racist, sexist, homophobic, etc. It's not "just politics", it's a difference in morals.
@@reyfairburn5023 he wasn't more racist, sexist, homophobic, etc than his candidates but the media tried their damndest to portray him as such. However I'm not easily convinced by media hit pieces like certain people.
@@lorenzomizushal3980 Man, your friend really dodged a bullet with you...
@@reyfairburn5023 But are those actually as bad as hostility to rule of law and elections? Historically, what % of presidents were racist, sexist and homophobes?
You never mentioned him cutting his fingers off was his subconscious desire to quell the music of his own death march, the death march of his younger self he sees in his friend.
the hook was the boys originally (else it would be too sinister despite the fact that is was seemingly destined that the boy be carrying the tool to fetch his corpse) , my guess is that it represents something in between a scythe for harvest, and a shepherds hook for control/ guidance, that its the union of two, and to see the act of death and lost love as either of the extremes misses that the perspective of the individual is what puts both, the meaning into lifes happenings, and instills a plan into "god" where there is none, this doesn't mean that the presence of gods power is absent in the film, but that if the presence was there through the meaningful coincidences that occurred, they serve more as a reflection of ones own preconceived misconceptions about reality. God is a mirror.
Both of the men are correct and both are incorrect.
I'm sure in the end, they both realized they did it to themselves.