14 years later, the reunion of the stars and writer/director of In Bruges is going down a storm.
In Bruges arrived in 2008, becoming an immediate hit with Irish and international audiences.
Since then, actors Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, as well as the movie’s writer/director Martin McDonagh, went off to become even bigger stars.
14 years later, the trio have reunited for the darkly comic The Banshees of Inisherin.
The movie’s official synopsis is as follows:
“Set on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland, The Banshees Of Inisherin follows lifelong friends Padraic (Farrell) and Colm (Gleeson), who find themselves at an impasse when Colm unexpectedly puts an end to their friendship.
“A stunned Padraic, aided by his sister Siobhan (Kerry Condon) and troubled young islander Dominic (Barry Keoghan), endeavours to repair the relationship, refusing to take no for an answer. But Padraic’s repeated efforts only strengthen his former friend’s resolve and when Colm delivers a desperate ultimatum, events swiftly escalate, with shocking consequences.”
The movie has just had its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, and the first reactions are incredibly positive, even more so than In Bruges received at the time:
Variety – “The result feels closer than any of his previous films to the barbed, intimate lyricism of McDonagh’s work as a playwright, and more deeply, sorrowfully felt to boot. 5 stars.”
Uproxx – “This reunion of McDonagh, Farrell, and Gleeson not only met my high expectations, it exceeded them. As I type this I saw this movie over a week ago and I can’t stop thinking about it.”
The Playlist – “Rich, layered, and full of beautiful shapeshifting emotional depth – at times laugh-out-loud funny, and then stopping on a dime to turn melancholy, heartrending, and or horrifying – The Banshee of Insherin will surely unsettle audiences trying to pinpoint blame or ascribe a hero or villain to the piece. Its morality and personal sympathies are purposefully opaque.”
Empire – “The film is engrossing and beautifully mounted, and is sure to not disappoint anyone who’s enjoyed McDonagh’s previous rough rides.”
The Telegraph – “This is an often shoulder-shudderingly funny film, whose comic dialogue is dazzlingly designed and performed. But McDonagh leaves fate itself with the last, black, bone-rattling laugh. 5 stars.”
The Banshees Of Inisherin will be released in Irish cinemas on Friday, 21 October.
Clip via Searchlight UK
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