The comedy-drama was nominated for nine Academy Awards, making it the most Oscar-nominated Irish film ever.
Our TV movie pick for tonight (Thursday, 12 June) is The Banshees of Inisherin, one of the best movies of the decade and one of the best Irish movies ever.
The film is set in 1923, near the end of the Irish Civil War, on a small island off the coast of Ireland.
It follows Pádraic (Colin Farrell), a middle-aged man who is left devastated when his best friend and local musician, Colm (Brendan Gleeson), suddenly says that he does not want to see him anymore and that he’d rather spend his time composing music.
“A stunned Pádraic, aided by his sister Siobhán (Kerry Condon) and troubled young islander Dominic (Barry Keoghan), endeavours to repair the relationship, refusing to take no for an answer,” the plot synopsis reads.
“But Pádraic’s repeated efforts only strengthen his former friend’s resolve, and when Colm delivers a desperate ultimatum, events swiftly escalate, with shocking consequences.”
Written and directed by the acclaimed Martin McDonagh (In Bruges, Three Billboards), The Banshees of Inisherin’s portrait of a fallout between long-time friends is hilarious and heartbreaking in equal measure.
We’d argue, though, that the brilliance of McDonagh’s screenplay lies in how this central story becomes a metaphor for several different topics: isolation, mental health, the difficulties of rural life, war, and the sacrifices people make to follow their passions.
The performances across the board are also flawless, and the movie looks stunningly beautiful.
As such, it’s no surprise that The Banshees of Inisherin holds a near-perfect 96% Rotten Tomatoes score and was nominated for nine Academy Awards, making it the most Oscar-nominated Irish film of all time.
The movie is airing on TV tonight on Film4 at 9pm. It is also streaming on Disney+ and will be available to watch on Channel 4’s website after it airs this evening.
Here are the other movies on TV tonight:
San Andreas – RTÉ2 – 9pm
The disaster movie starring Dwayne Johnson.
The Blues Brothers – ITV4 – 9pm
This cult musical action-comedy centres on a man just released from prison (John Belushi) who puts together his old band to save the Catholic home where he and his brother (Dan Aykroyd) were raised.
Last Passenger – Legend Xtra – 9pm
In this breakneck UK thriller, a group of passengers – including a doctor (Dougray Scott) and his son – on a night train from London gradually come to realise that the driver of the vehicle has a dark plan for everyone onboard.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 – Comedy Central – 9pm
The 2016 sequel to the smash-hit 2002 romantic comedy.
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes – Sky Arts – 9pm
Legendary director Billy Wilder’s well-liked 1970 take on the classic fictional detective.
Coming 2 America – Sky Showcase – 10pm
Eddie Murphy returns in this 2021 comedy sequel to his ’80s classic, Coming to America.
Fighting Back – Legend Xtra – 10.55pm
Tom Skerritt (Alien, Top Gun) headlines this ’80s vigilante action thriller.
Sea of Love – Legend – 11pm
This very watchable ’80s mystery thriller revolves around a detective (Oscar-winner Al Pacino) trying to catch a serial killer who finds victims through the singles column in a newspaper.
During his investigation, however, he becomes romantically involved with a woman (Ellen Barkin) who may be the culprit.
The Last Bus – BBC Two – 11pm
In this 2021 drama, Timothy Spall plays a man who travels the length of the UK to scatter his late wife’s ashes.
Armageddon – Film4 – 11.20pm
Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck are blue-collar deep-core drillers sent by NASA to stop a gigantic asteroid on a collision course with Earth in this hugely entertaining sci-fi disaster flick.
Death Wish V: The Face of Death – ITV4 – 11.40pm
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