Get a whole month of great cinema FREE with MUBI: mubi.com/thomasflight
// WATCH MORE THOMAS FLIGHT
-Ad-Free Videos and Exclusive Content on Nebula: nebula.tv/thomasflight
-My Podcast Cinema of Meaning:
Ad-Free and early on Nebula: Nebula: nebula.tv/cinemaofmeaning
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4n6zZZQ...
iTunes: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
-Watch My Experimental Documentary:
labyrinthion.com
-Read My Newsletter:
thomasflight.substack.com/
// SUPPORT MY WORK
-Support my channel directly on Patreon: / thomasflight
Patrons get access to a discord community, monthly podcast reviews of everything I watch, and more!
-Sign up for Nebula using my Link: nebula.tv/thomasflight
(using my link helps support my channel financially)
// CREDITS:
Music:
// FOLLOW ME
-Twitter: / thomasflight
-Website: www.thomasflight.com
-Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/thomasflight/
-TikTok: / thomas.flight
// CONTACT ME
-sponsorship and Business inquiries: thomasflight@standard.tv
-Questions, feedback, other stuff: contact@thomasflight.com
(check out my FAQ as well: www.thomasflight.com/faq)
// GEAR I USE: thomasflight.com/gear
#ThomasFlight #VideoEssay
Chapters
00:00 More One of Life's Good Guys
02:11 1: Is Pádraic Actually Nice?
04:23 2: What are the Banshees?
06:28 3: Who’s Side is Siobhán Really On?
08:29 4: Does Colm want Pádraic to be mean?
13:36 Art Can be Nice Too
15:13 5. Is This Just A Tragedy?
Siobhan is the only character who thinks that BOTH Padraic and Colm are being idiots, Padraic for not letting Colm's decision go, and Colm for cutting off their friendship for petty reasons, and doesn't side with either of them. She acknowledges how monotonous life on the island is, and actually gets the chance to expand her horizons beyond it.
She's also doing a lot to keep everyone's social graces going. Dominic is sweet on her. Padraic relies emotionally on his sister. And-to everyone's surprise-it is her steady presence that balances her brother. Once she leaves there's nobody to stop him from having his inner turmoil turned outward toward Colm. Remember, too, that the last time we see Dominic alive he is testing the waters with her, hoping to find a bit of romance. Heck, she even invites the "ghoul" McCormick over for tea.
We should all strive to be the Siobhan.
@@ThomasFlight I watched the film over Christmas with my mother, an old girl but still a strong-headed Irishwoman, and she tutted when Siobhan left. When I asked her why, she said "It's all too late". By that she meant, although Siobhan has finally come around to her decision to leave, she's likely too old to find a fella and have a family of her own - hence happiness and fulfilment. We are talking about Galway in the early 1920's after all. That crushed me, because I think she is right. Just as it was already too late for Colm. A very sad story all around.
@@Truffle_Pup If Siobhan were going to be single the rest of her life, I think she'd rather it be anywhere else but Inisherin.
@@HeatherQuinlan I understand your point, but it's a very 21st century idea.
I feel Colm is ready to embrace his friendship at the end because he no longer has the means for greatness. He wanted to cut off his fingers so that he wouldn't have the burden of being great and could get back to enjoying the smaller things in life. He placed the burden on Padraic because he didn't want to admit that to himself. This film has SO much to talk about. Beautiful video as always.
love this interpretation!
Great take. Adds to the tragedy that Padraic had enough of him by that point (again that’s just an interpretation, what a film!)
Seriously?
That's just very cruel to do to a friend...and very selfish...like: "I'm going to blame you for my unhappiness and I'll push you to act in a way that will make me change, yet everything I'll do is gonna be your fault"
@@tdf123emcee2 They aren't saying it's a good decision. Plus we all know people who unironically think like that.
Suddenly realizing that there's something to the fact that they are on an island, disconnected from the tragedies unfolding on the mainland. (refusing to acknowledge pain.) But then Siobhán, by leaving the island, chooses to confront that darkness, and face it head on... thereby freeing herself? Is that anything??
Its like theyre all living inside a fishbowl, looking out at the rest of the world, and hence remain untouched (and unformed) by those events. For her to go out into the world means she will be affected by those events that before she only reacted to from afar (the book reading). That alone will change her life, and who she will become. So yeah, that is important.
Good insight. Incidentally, the actress who plays Siobhan is breathtaking
I think you're on to something!
this movie is gonna keep being one of lifes many many mysteries
first time ive watched I thought the war was a mirror of the missunderstanding of the two (and it could be still) but this theory that they are all in their blissfull ignorance of conflict and the pain of the real world, and the characters keep being faced with the hardships of their existence
One of the bits of dialogue that really stuck with me from the movie for some reason: Priest: "Do you think god gives a shite about miniature donkeys?" Colm: "I fear he doesn't. I fear that's where we've all gone wrong." I think there is a question in there about what "niceness" even is, and how our perception of being a "nice, good person" may be fundamentally flawed.
Same here! I also think it's a metaphor for humans as miniature donkeys and that if there was a god who cared, he wouldn't let them go to wars and hurt each other, etc.
There was a point when I was quite young and I had captured a field mouse in our garage. I picked it up with leather gloves and took it to the rear of the property where there was a thicket of thorny vines and tossed it in the vines. It most certainly got injured on those thorns as I threw it in, and to this day I don't know if it survived. It didn't take more than a couple moments to know I had done something very fundamentally wrong, and I felt deep shame about it. I went to a Catholic school, so we would have semi-regular confession in the adjacent church. When I next confessed, I told the priest what I had done and he said, "Well... that's not exactly a sin." I sat there in dumbstruck silence. If this was not a sin, what possibly could be?
I think the Priest was wrong, if anything he doesn't understand the beauty of the universe and all the creatures within. @@jacobguzan8144
What stuck with me was how illogical and self-destructive Colm's reaction to Padraic continuing to reach out was: the reason why he cut contact was to focus on his violin music, yet he cuts off his own fingers to scare Padraic off, thereby denying himself his last wish to be a musician. Kinda fits with the civil war analogy, I guess, where people fighting their kin just end up hurting themselves in the process
We do things and if they work, we assert we were reasonable and if they don't, we were stupid or didn't think things through or we had bad luck. Then someone comes along and says "Oh, so you decided to cut your violin fingers because you didn't like Pádraic?" and you realize people do things completely at random.
Self destruction is the point. There is a moment where Siobhan mentions that Colm won't help his music if he cuts his fingers, and he says something like "exactly... you're finally starting to understand." He is hurting himself as a response to his despair. This contrasts with the responses of the three other main characters - denial for Padraic, suicide for Dominic, and positive change for Siobhan (the only healthy response).
I totally agree with your overall point. However, Colm Sonny Larry's actual wish is to be like Mozart and "Borvolven" and be a composer and conductor. Once he cuts off the one finger is when he finishes composing "The Banshees of Inisherin" and after he cuts off the remaining four fingers we see him conducting (at Jonjo's pub) the aforementioned composition.
As unreasonable as it was I interpreted it as Colm giving Padriac a visual example of what he was trying to explain. Everyday that Padriac wastes his time is taking away from him composing. Day=finger. He’s literally taking away music from him
Cutting off his fingers to make his emotional pain more visible as others deny it?
Hearing Thomas go between his usual American accent and then pronouncing Pádraic like a proper Irish countryman is making me giggle hehe
Agreed, hailing from Ireland myself, I find it most amusing when people attempt to pronounce Irish names, usual Eoghan or Aoife.
@@trinaq Same! My name is Sadhbh and even Irish people struggle with that sometimes, never mind foreigners
It's a good attempt, though I feel like it sounds as if he's really trying to pronounce the D when it's not really there when we say the name in English. I myself and the characters in the movie pronounce it something like "Paw-Rick"
It's not really right though. He keeps saying it like "pawdig". Irish people might drop the "D" sound (depending on the person), but never the "r".
It's their names as they are said in the movie. It'd be weird to call them Patrick, Colin and Joanne.
The real banshees were the friends we made along the way.
The most painful part of the film is when Barry Keoghan goes up to Siobhan and asks if she could ever see herself with him, and she says no, and he replies, okay, I'm just going to go and do that other thing I came to do here. Then leaves. It hurt. Because I always thought that his character was the most enlightened person on the island seeing everything as it really was and realizing, sadly, that he couldn't survive it.
He's kind of like a Shakespearean sad clown archetype, a comedic relief that goes dark
Yes that was painful to watch😢
he said in response to siobhan's gentle rejection, "well, there goes that dream..." and then he just walked off. the first thing that the movie seems to be suggesting when his body was shown in that same area was that he self-deleted, but then what if he actually just slipped and fell? i'm not sure which one is more tragic.
It made no sense to me how Dominic ever thought he had a chance with her considering how rude he was in her presence in earlier scenes.
@@llamasarus1 i think they've established in the film that he's a fool as the characters have referred to him as the village gom.
Colm’s ultimatum is so insane that it clouds my whole perception of the movie. What was he asking for? You could summarise his ultimatum as “stop talking to me and let me follow my dreams, or I will ruin my dreams”. Now, if Pádraic cares a lot for his friend it is natural to expect he wishes no harm to him, but what Colm asked was for Pádraic to take that exact care for him and do nothing with it. It is such a puzzling ask to expect someone to love you enough to wish you the best but not to interact with you again. It runs completely counter to what people do when they like someone. It feels like he knew the ultimatum was going to be ignored and just found an excuse to make Pádraic as miserable as he is. All of Colm’s suffering in the film is self-inflicted.
The ultimatum is definitely shocking. To me it makes perfect sense in the context of the movie as a parable about the Irish Civil War. In that War, people who had fought side by side the day before killed each other both out of love of the same country and of wanting the struggle they had shared against the English to be meaningful. It was horrendous violence as an expression of love and demand to be loved in the only way you can see as right. Not as parable, yes it's insane. But I think that's the point, it's an expression of just how intense this pain is to Colm. People with depression express that emotional pain in self-harm all the way up to suicide, of course, so it's not so unrealistic that a severely depressed person would mutilate themselves as Colm does. And as for putting that pain on the person he loves, that's tragically all too realistic about depression too. People who harm themselves all too often know how much it hurts the people closest to them, but they still do it in desperation of not being able to comprehend any other way to express their emotional pain.
I actually read an interesting analysis that agrees with this. The main point is that Colm is aware of his own mortality and anxious to leave some sort of legacy after his death, but at the same time he is aware of his lack of actual talent in the one thing he thinks he might be able to find this purpose in, music. He's a mediocre musician at best and, as such, by removing his fingers, he is taking away his own outlet of creativity which he thinks might become his legacy. He himself mentions to Siobhan that it felt like a weight was lifted off of him when he removed his fingers, perhaps exactly because he can no longer play without them and, by extension, doesn't feel like he has to produce anything to make a legacy of. So, in a sense, it's quite possible he created this predicament for himself as self sabotage, exactly because he knew Padraic would ignore the ultimatum, forcing him to act on his threat and relieving him of the need to struggle towards legacy-worthy work.
its very simple: if you truly love me, you'll set me free
I do find Colm's ultimatum can be interpreted intelligibly, but I appreciate your comment @AfutureV a lot, because it articulates the central difficulty many people (myself included) have with this film. I think the way to understand Colm's demand is shown, as in a mirror, by Padraic's relationship with Dominick. Padraic essentially believes Dominick to be too stupid to truly befriend. This doesn't prevent him from showing Dominick kindness or allowing him to accompany him from time to time, but neither does this mean that Padraic sees him as an equal. Similarly, Colm believes (with justification) that his view of life is simply incommunicable to Padraig. And so, it seems to me that Colm chooses this outlandish threat simply because it is absurd and extreme. It will communicate - or so Colm hopes - in graphic, symbolic terms what no amount of language or reasoning could convey to Padraig: that he really, truly wishes to be left alone. Of course, this is a miscalculation on Colm’s part; Padraig does not quite interpret the message as desired, and so we have a movie.
I think it’s more comprehensible if you look at it from the perspective of a toxic relationship. You can care for someone deeply but still be completely wrong for them and have a negative impact on their lives. In this regard, asking for someone to care about you enough to leave you alone is something that happens all the time with basically any relationship that goes sour. We normally only think about this in the context of romantic breakups but it can certainly happen with platonic relationships as well.
The way Barry Keoghan goes "nice!" is just so,,,,GAH, it's so well-done.
This is the most meaningful analysis so far. My initial takeaway was "this movie gets it - we humans desperately want to meet each other's expectations, but we're embarrassingly inadequate when it comes to supporting one another when we fall short". Still, every possible interpretation - be it "the futility of civil war", "banshees as a scapegoat for the fear of death", "Colm turns into a teenage musician in his midlife crisis", or even "you, the audience, just sit back and watch with amusement at this dark comedy, like the titular banshees" - seems to exist simultaneously in a weird superposition. I can't stop thinking about this movie.
Woof.. the way you explained how humans ignore/downplay/justify negative emotions and pain with your own recent experience of pain is magical. We all like to think we're kind, empathetic and caring but if we can't handle/accept our own pain or share it safely, how can we be there for others in any real way. It isn't something I was expecting and was a perfect segway out of the Banshee sometimes representing the way each character deals with their pain.
Hi! If you are interested in another take on the reason Colm cut off his fingers: kzhead.info/sun/haV9qJaGaZp-opE/bejne.html
I think I'm the kind of person that "gets" movies and their subtext and deeper meanings.. then I watch one of your videos and I feel like a clapping seal.
Haha to be fair I have the luxury of being able to spend like 40 hours watching, thinking and writing about a single movie.
Hi! If you are interested in another take on the reason Colm cut off his fingers: kzhead.info/sun/haV9qJaGaZp-opE/bejne.html
Great movie and interesting video. I do think that Banshees is not a particularly deep movie - it wears almost all of it's themes on it's sleeve - but that doesn't make it any less harrowing. One thing I was surprised you didn't get into was Pádraic's devastating realization that the 'village idiot', Dominic, was actually smarter and more interesting than him. As much as the movie targets male friendship, loneliness, sadness, pain, it is doing it from a lens of the idea that "the unexamined life is not worth living." One of Colm's major reasons for the break-up is that Pádraic is just so damn dull. Colm is trying to change something in his life, breath something into it - who knows why the last decade(s) he's been fine to go to the pub every night with his friend and have the same conversations over and over, but something changed and that just wasn't enough for him anymore. He woke up and looked at his life and no longer denied he was unhappy with it. That's terrifying. Most people do not want to do that because it can ruin whatever happiness you've cobbled together to stay sane. Pádraic had an orderly universe and was happy - perhaps he, like I think a lot of people do, unconsciously realized that if he poked at that life, it would unravel in terrible ways. And I can't blame people for not necessarily wanting to look too deeply at their own lives if all it will bring is misery - there are a lot of 'islands' in America, in cities and towns, big and small, where people are just hanging on and the circle they form around them are just in as much agreement of not peering too deep into the abyss. Whether that leads ultimately to more pain before we go, I am not sure.
I really really resonate with this take.
“Two- what”😭
This movie was so good I still haven't fully recovered enough to go for a rewatch, gotta psych myself up for it.
I got pretty sad for Jenny
I wanted to watch again right away but it still took weeks before I could. You will understand much more with another watch and excellent commentary like this.
The small details in this film are brilliant, like the decision to make the coat she wears when she leaves a bright, warm, yellow colour. The colour yellow can represent happiness, joy, hope and energy. She is the metaphorical lighthouse on that bleak island and she is taking it with her. If you freeze the video at 08:19 you can see what i mean. The image of her brother Padraig, a sad, lonely, dark figure standing in a dark, gloomy doorway juxtaposed with her almost angelic figure, bathed in bright light wearing her bright, yellow coat. A figurative bright light or beacon of hope if you will in a barren and lonely landscape.
I like when films explore the emotional struggles people go through that are barely recognizable on the surface but catastrophic from the inside. I also like when films act as a medium to think and rethink over these issues and understand the human condition. Kind of like constantly reexamining an object in order to render a near accurate portrait of it.
hard agree
i think the characters clothing has a lot to do with this emotional hiding. Always wearing layers where the colors seem to be underneath. Siobhan finally wearing yellow on the outside at the end. It doesn't always work like the color green on the outside but yellow red and blue seem to clearly play into dispair/pain, hope, and loneliness.
This is a great insight
Great point. I noticed the color too.
I think Colm has suddenly become very aware of his mortality and wants to do something he deems to be more fulfilling and worthwhile. But then, as you suggest, he also somehow realizes that his cultivation of music and poetry are fruitless ways to fend off the inevitable. This ties into greater appreciation with Padraic when the latter becomes passionate about something. Coln has been needing a jolt of passion in his life and which helps explain his self-maiming.
Quick additional point in response to your comment around 11:30 RE- repression of emotions including of those toward Death. On this tendency in human nature I highly recommend The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker. That book deservedly won some prestigious award and is critically acclaimed decades after its publishing.
He was suffering from existential crisis and wanted to do something worth remembering before he die as he realised he's already old and death isn't far away.
You have such a unique take on this film that unlocked new meaning for me. The elements of self delusion and repressed pain was an undercurrent throughout the film. I was so confused by Colm's actions because it goes against his reason for the break up, but now I realized he's the character I'm most similar to. It's not that you want to necessary get away, but you just don't like where your life is at and every reminder of that just make you hate yourself a little bit more. Padraic is a reflection of how much time has slipped away from him that he wanted to aggressively cut off. Colm's desire to create art is not the true motivation; it's his desire to make something of himself in order to bury the past regrets. That's why he reacted childishly because he's both frustrated and ashamed. In our own pain we tend to ignore other people's feelings, but that's how they ended with a better understanding of each other in the end. Now I really need a rewatch.
I'd like to add: there is also the theme of mortality, legacy, and whay makes someone's life valuable. And the two men present two amtithetical positions. It is in the conflict scene in which both are kind of yelling at each other. Colm feels being nice is of no value, life is meaningful only if one does something monumental and lasting like Mozart, Beethoven, whose work remains for ages after their death. He says that no one remembers who was nice, they remember the music (a stand in for any work of note, and also glory). And Padraic says that I remember who was nice, and then he talks about his sister. So essentially Padraic finds value in life in the here and now, within the personal sphere. Collum looks for value in life in some form of existence beyond death - that is essentially what glory is. A man viewing his approaching mortality seeking to create something great that'll last for ages is essentially trying to overcome mortality. Trying to create a legacy is trying to ensure existence in some form beyond death.
To say I cried is an understatement. And that was before Jenny. When Siobohan left, I could just see Paderaic’s future, and it was bleak and lonely. To me Colm achieved what he wanted, to write his song, and understood the horrific consequences that came from that. A beautiful film on loneliness and depression. I’m going to cry again. Thanks for the essay Thomas
is truly all that Colm wanted was to write his song? if so, maybe this is all about Colm the artist and what it takes to make art? maybe this is McDonagh's "mother!"
I love this notion of analyzing a work of art through the lens of questions. These are all the questions that I was left with after watching the movie 5 times in theaters. I guess I'm in the minority of people who finds the ending somewhat hopeful; in a strange sense, though we never witness any reconcile between Colm and Pádraic, the conflict brings growth for both of them...and it's not hard to imagine that they'll be having drinks again in a few days time with far less passivity in their friendship than before.
"Do you think God gives damn about miniature donkeys, Colm?" "I fear he doesnt... and I fear that's where it's all gone wrong."
I don't think Padraic is defined by his niceness either. I think the film is more after what the characters want and what lengths they'll go to get it. Padraic craves kindness, hence his increasing habit of letting the animals inside as his human companions leave him. Animals, while socially incomparable make him feel unconditionally loved. Colm on the other hand is obsessed with purpose hence everything he essentially does following the inciting incident of the film. Siobhan herself isn't too dissimilar to Colm in that they both have negative feelings toward stagnancy, but I'd say her ideals slide more towards personal freedom. I think it's the surface level perception of Padraic as a nice person that keeps them rooted as they are at the start but it's his seesawing between the two as one drifts further away from him that eventually drives them both apart. Feeling needed by a nice person can feel like its own reward but feeling needed by a desperate one can be a slow death.
I reeeeeeally appreciate that you worked to pronounce all the characters names correctly! On behalf of the Irish, thank you!
Glad to hear I got them right, haha, I was nervous about it so I practiced them.
@@ThomasFlight @asv2886 didn't say you got them right, they just appreciated that you made an effort. So many reviews of the film, have people talking about "Patrick" and even managing to mangle Inisherin. As others have said, you don't pronounce the d in Padraig . And no one in the film pronounces the d, so I wonder why it is such a problem to just repeat what you have heard in the film.
@@saborflamenco1137 that was a bit rude wasnt it mate
@@ashegrey2321 Maybe frustrated rather than intentionally rude. I just don't get it, really. Why make up a pronunciation when you have the correct one in front of you? We all may mispronounce words we''ve only ever seen written, or words that use sounds we aren't used to making, but when you hear a word spoken, using sounds that exist in your own language, what is the impulse that makes you "correct" it? It is a peculiarly British/US thing in my experience that seems to come from an attitude of knowing better how to pronounce someone's name or the place they are from than the person themself. Hats off the Thomas Flight for the quality of the video review in every other regard and with no desire to contribute to the mountain of unkind comments that flow onto KZhead every day.
Go raibh maith agat
I heard "nice" as an effort to avoid calling him dumb. The funniest part of the movie was watching him slowly realize that.
I love your videos so much, Thomas! I have chronic migraines and I was so thankful to hear you talk about your migraines! Your pain is 100% valid (something I don't think our society says to each other enough)! I hope you take it easy on yourself, I find that the more accepting I've been of my chronic illness, the more accepting others have been. And not in a pity myself way, just in an accepting and moving on with what I need to do type of way. I hope you get some rest, and when you're able, we'll always look forward to your videos!
Thank you for the kind words, and I'm sorry to hear you also deal with Migraines, they're nasty! I haven't always done a great job of taking care of myself, but I'm much better at it now than I used to be, and I'm learning to give myself more of the rest I need!
I’ve been plagued with migraines since I was 12, I’m 24 now so it has been 12 years of frequent agony, vomiting, sleepless nights, anxiety, depression. I will always offer my most sincere sympathies to those who suffer with this. It is a plague of the mind. I frequently wish to no longer be here, because of these evil attacks. My best wishes to you both!
Loved this video. One of your best I think. The work you put into these, how you analyse in a free-flowing intelligent and concise way, and how you link the movies to broader concepts is incredible. Always making me think, always putting words on ideas I could almost grasp when watching the movie and pushing the concepts one step further. As someone who has a masters in film, I am constantly amazed by your work. Keep it up!
Thank you for these wonderfully kind words! It's encouraging to hear that this work is resonating with people!
i totally agree and i also appreciate how great his editing is
The question that sticks with me is whether or not Dominic takes his own life. Considering despair is a big theme, I think he might have been overwhelmed by it. I also appreciate your comments about pain. I think constantly about the things I keep to myself and how hard it is to share. I also feel weird about sharing this comment 😅
More than likely, yes. Declaring "There goes that dream then..." after being courageous enough to ask Siobhan if she would ever want to be with him likely drove his final act. He's one of the few characters whose trauma is both secretly known and publicly "outed". He and Siobhan are the only characters to challenge their loneliness and take action to reverse it. The personal rejection was probably too much to take, as it was his last refuge of hope and he truly believed facing his worst fear wouldn't be as bad as reality. Siobhan leaving the island probably also influenced his decision.
@@RubenSilva-tk4yb You said it so well. And yes, the fact that Dominic’s trauma was outed when people found out his father physically and sexually abused him reslly took a toll on him. The rejection by Siobhan, who was always kind, left him no hope.
I thought that the person who is also saying goodbye to Shioban's leaving was Dominic, not Mrs McCormick, He saw she was leaving felt even more heartbroken and killed himself.
I think he took his life also because his father despises some Young boy who does It, remember? Is the news he brings to the woman who sells things. And the in the end he has to face this situation with his own son
Holy shit dude, my appreciation of this movie just multiplied by 10x because of this video. Mind opening stuff, thanks for such a well crafted and articulate video.
Great video! One thing I think about the film is that Padraic has a self-image of being a "nice person" and he has to maintain that self image. In actuality he is very self-centered and lacks empathy. Therefore he has to keep trying to be friends with Colm because he just can't conceive that someone wouldn't like him and that he is actually "not nice". Great insights in this video and now I want to watch it again.
It amazes me how Colm wasn’t prudent or patient enough to recognize that Pádraic’s relieved confession of deceiving the musician visitor was a petty move out of emotional panic and desperation, rather than Pádraic malevolently screwing Colm over. Goodness, I love this film. Me shouting “NOOOO!” at the screen when Pádraic confesses deceiving the musician visitor=All-time theater moment. 😅😅😅
This movie really shook me and it must have been one of the best ones I've seen this year, if not the best. I live on a relatively remote island, and this movie spoke to me on so many different levels. And it prompted me to write a review and start a drawing about it. It also led me to discover your channel and served as a reminder of how lucky humanity is to have such a thing as cinema.
I think the Siobhan and Colm are the same character who choose to deal with it differently
Also: Please do a video on "TÁR" soon! I've rewatched it twice since seeing it in the theaters and each time reveals SO MUCH more! It's an incredible film and Todd Field has not been receiving enough attention for his brilliant handling of it.
Always a treat to see a Thomas Flight upload. Some of the best film essays on the platform. 🙏🏻
Another stellar video. Recently rewatched this just the other week and it really cemented it as a masterpiece for me. You perfectly nail why - the complexity and lack of simple answers in it are part of its allure. Thank you as always for this channel. Fantastic essay.
A thing that puzzles me is this: there are loads and loads of videos analysing this film and many of them focus on which of the 2 main characters is the better person/the good guy/the nicer of the two. But none that I've seen so far make any mention of Colm seeking out the company of the policeman as an alternative to talking to Padraig and having to listen to him talk about donkey shit. But he knows that policeman is a violent bully, that he abuses his own son, and he engages with him in a horrible conversation about him wanting to take part in an execution. He hasn't just been lumbered with the policeman in the pub, he seems to have sought him out. He'd cut off his own fingers to avoid Padraig's company, but would willingly spend time with this really vile man listening to his equally vile conversation. I''m surprised that no one seems to find that inconsistent to say the least.
Colm's relationship with the policeman is passing and meaningless... not much more than two strangers chatting about the weather. But his relationship with Padraic is a true friendship... which Colm ends because he can't stand how Padraic's immature denial prevents the friendship from getting as deep as it could be
Conflating niceness with happiness is the best explanation of the Irish psyche I've ever heard
This analysis really inspired me in a strange way. Whether living too much for others, or too much for yourself - we all ultimately have to acknowledge and face our pain at some point and hopefully discover ourselves in doing so. Another great video Thomas!
I appreciate your vulnerability.💕 I'm also someone who deals with chronic migraines as well as cluster headaches. I find it can be hard for me to convey how much pain I'm in to others, especially when there's no tangible representation of that pain.
Also, I agree that this movie is one that has stuck with me mentally for far more than I expected it to.
My husband suffers terribly with cluster headaches too, I have witnessed him in agony and people just don’t get it!
I do not suffer from cluster headaches, so I can't attest to the veracity of this claim. But I have read that there is evidence to suggest that psilocybin, the chemical compound that puts the "magic" in magic mushrooms, can be highly effective at treating cluster headaches and migraines. Having personal experience with said magic mushrooms, I can say that one of the effects was all physical pain melting away.
I'd also add that I don't believe the required dose to get effective pain relief would be enough to cause significant impairment/hallucinations.
This was a great analysis, it made me appreciate the movie even more. This thing about acknowledging pain, how being vulnerable isn't weakness, existential loneliness etc etc are all themes I've been grappling with in my own life since February. I made a genuine effort to put these thoughts into words in my journal but honestly you said everything right around the ten minute mark, everything I've been struggling to put into words. A great video! Thank you!
So much conflict could have been avoided had Colm simply explained to Padraic why he didn't want to be his friend anymore, as opposed to abruptly cutting ties with him. This leads to Padraic becoming a more bitter man by the end, having lost both of his close friends, his Donkey and his sister.
Well yes, but how was he supposed to explain that when he is expected to not express his feelings. Just see how Padraic responds to her sister, someone who as a woman is slightly more accepted to "have feelings" in the first place. It could not have happened but he was in such despair that he didn't back down from doing *something* about it... and so the ultimatum was what he arrived at.
Is that not what colm does right at the start of the movie? Outside of the pub
He does that multiple times, that’s the whole point of the movie.
And yet, it says something about his character (Im not sure what) that despite all of the pain he's enduring, he saves Colm's dog. He didnt have to do that. Im still not sure how to feel about what he did beyond hopeful that perhaps one day he wil ltake some more steps to move beyond his pain and begin acknowledging the pain of others.
Would Padraic have accepted this though? There is a line later in the film from Padraic where he wonders if Colm is depressed and says if that is the case he wishes to Colm would keep it to himself “just like the rest of us do”. Acknowledging his pain would only confuse Padriac and cause him to plea for Colm to bury his pain and he would still be unrelenting in trying to make Colm his friend again.
What an awesome video man. I loved this film, but you’re exactly right - the more you think about the themes it explores, it seems to always leave you with more questions than answers. Your video has helped me personally decipher the themes that stuck with me most. Great video!!
This is, by far, one of the greatest video essays i have watched; maybe I’m biased here as Banshees is becoming one of my favourite films of all time, but this watch was thoroughly enjoyable, your in-depth analysis is incredible and constantly allowed further thought, specifically upon aspects I hadn’t even considered; love your work Thomas, keep it coming!
I have been on a Thomas Flight binge for the past 2 days and I’m astonished by how incredible the writing in these videos is. You’ve absolutely earned a subscribe from me, and have quickly risen the ranks to become one of my favorite KZhead channels. Good god.
This movie hit me hard, because it reminded me of a toxic friendship I ended. We don't get to see what leads to Colm's decision. In my case, it was years of ignorance and a naïve disregard for principles. The outcome in the story and my relationship was the same. The only way to end the friendship was extreme actions because obsession and twisted loyalty could not reckoned with. I know what its like to leave a "Padraic."
I respect you sharing about your migraines, because often it is looked down upon, when people are being vulnerable, but I think that it is simply human to be feeling pain and sharing it with those whom you trust
Really enjoyed the breakdown and the open question format. Felt like all the points you brought up really made me think about the intentions of both the characters and the filmmaker. Well done!
As an Irish person, your respect for the language is genuinely touching. Especially when in most Internet spaces discussing the language, it's reduced to an old, racist trope of "impossible to learn/pronounce". Your pronunciation of Pádraic is fantastic, probing that argument wrong. And I loved that you included the fada. Thank you.
I was like Farrell's character, so every time a person said you're nice, it really means they are tired of you
I'm sorry to hear about your headaches, it's takes incredible courage to reveal your pain to such a large audience. Great video and thanks for sharing it!
I really love your channel! Wish you the best and be well always! This essay was so great to watch tbh.
One of your best videos! Such a wonderful and insightful job, thank you so much for all of this!
Thank you for this absolute treasure of an analysis of one of the best films of the last five years (at least). I must admit I've struggled a lot to connect with it which was especially confusing because I relate to Colm on a level that is almost frightening. And it is video essays like this, picking apart the sometimes delicate strings of emotions, that help me connect and recognize and value said emotions. The ones on the screen and in the end within myself.
Amazing content as always. Keep up the good work.
I was so taken with how McDonagh opens the film by throwing the audience into the middle of the central conflict, without any reference of Padraic & Colm's relationship in the "before". I think the lack of context forces you (the viewer) to focus on each character's emotional reaction and their disparateness, but also sets you at a loss yourself, confused about what their falling out is all about and what it stemmed from. The experience of watching the film feels like watching people fight over nothing, and trying to figure out why we're puzzling over that nothingness, and on a meta level it mirrors the characters' internal struggles with/against the nothingness or meaninglessness of their lives, on varying levels of conciousness. idk if I've articulated that in a way that makes sense lol, but it's so interesting to hear your takeaways from the film & read everyone else's thoughts in the comments too. what a rich piece of writing, filmmaking, storytelling. Also, just wanted to say how much I appreciate the time & thought you put into the videos you make - genuinely one of my favourite 'creators', critics, etc. in these online spaces :)
Amazing content. Makes me really want to rewatch Banshees.
Great analysis of what lies beneath our admiration of this film. Also, I admire you at this moment for equating your pain with your understanding of the film. We are hesitant to express our pain for all of the reasons you stated but also because it is a deeply personal thing that we don't think others will understand. It's not just physical pain, it's the way the pain affects you psychologically and your interactions with the world. I know if a film has really gotten under my skin if I'm constantly thinking about it and finding new dimensions in it. When a film can bring you to a little bit of understanding about yourself and the world around you, then it's art. That's what good art does and should do. Otherwise, it's just celluloid or canvas or paper etc. etc. Thanks for this channel. I really enjoy it.
I've probably watched this video 10 times. Easily one of the best cinema video essays. I keep coming back to it. Great job, man.
Incredible essay. Loved this film so much as well! To me, its this: Colm’s ultimatum and finger chopping is a testament to how resolute and decided he is on his final path, and acknowledging that it is here (his end). He does not consider to have time left to waste and wants to accomplish something. His fingers are so important to him with his music, but the end is already underway and not changing. He is set in it. On the other hand he sees Pádraic perfectly content to just keep on living the same way every day, never confronting or questioning anything. At the end, I see Colm’s attitude to Pádraic as a new-found respect, not only for seeing him finally confronting and taking action, but also for showing he truly cares for Colm (and his dog)
This movie hit me really hard. I did the same thing to a friend a long time ago, cut him off abruptly because I just didn’t like him anymore. And honestly it was because I was somehow already becoming existentially concerned in my late teens, and I didn’t want to spend any more time with someone that bothered me. Obviously there wasn’t as much of a fuss around it as there was in this movie, but it made me think further about what I may have put him through. And it also kind of made me feel better about the decision at the same time, he has better friends now.
This movie quietly stuck with me since watching it last year and this video really helped me think a bit further into it since I can often get a bit lost in metaphors. Thanks for presenting it so eloquently too
This is video is an incredible analysis and your podcast on this movie was just as good. You are able to put to words feelings I was having about the movies and the characters. Thank you so much for this Thomas.
Man. I know you probably put tons of work into these analyses, but it's still impressive the things you can pull out and I can't help but wish I had this skill! Thanks for what you do, keep it coming!
I guess Colm's driving fear is mortality & being forgotten after death while Padraic's is loneliness. And these fears drive their actions and reactions.
A very moving and thought provoking presentation. So glad I found your site. One of my favorite films from '22, although I was not entirely able to articulate why, at first.
I watched Banshees for the first time earlier in the week. I've not managed to shake it yet and still can't work out if I've felt more lonely since or am just more aware of my own loneliness. It wasn't quite the movie I was expecting (In Bruges on Craggy Island, I think) and there's a fair bit to unpack and process. I really liked your thoughts and insights here, it was very perceptive and, almost annoyingly, has provided even more to think about. Thanks!
This is the best video I've seen talking about the movie! You lifted the deep layers of the movie in a way that blew my mind! You also made me understand more why I identify with Pádraic, I really felt a conexion when he was drunk talking about being nice. But now I can also see I identify with his denial in front of despair. Truly thought-provoking video for a fantastic thought-provoking movie! Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
If there was a proper award for KZhead Essayists I know who'd get my vote. Thank you for this fascinating analysis.
Really great explainer. Also this vid just highlights how brilliant and funny the dialogue is.
This is one of the most beautiful and impacting films I have ever seen. Thank you for your sensitive and thoughtful analysis of these very complex characters. 🥰
I love your delivery, intelligence, and voice- And you actually made this film accessible for me- i couldn't quite see into it. Now i feel it...
This video is everything I could ask for this movie and more! Thank you & great podcast
Loved your point of view thomas, our tendencies to hide our pain and our sufferings from society and not accepting our realities touches me. I have felt it alot
Great video Thomas! You helped me appreciated the film and performances even more. Another aspect of the film that I love as well is the use of colour. I don't know if there is any subtext with the film's use of rich red, kelly green, deep blue and sunflower yellow, but the rich colours are just such a beautiful contrast against the bleak cold/windy/demure feeling you get throughout the film. Again, I don't know if there is any meaning with the colours, but it was just something that really caught my eye.
sorry about your migraines, thomas. but thank you for always putting out such thought provoking quality content. i enjoy it so much and always look forward to your videos!
Nice analysis. I appreciate your effort here.
This is one of the best movie video essays I’ve ever experienced. Very insightful and helpful.
Thank you for sharing your pain and difficulties of life with us, Thomas! ❤
Before we get started at the 2:12 mark, I just wanted to say thank you for all of your time, work, efforts, & love you bring forth with these.
your most profound and moving content yet my man!
Loved the explanation. Beautiful work. Thank you so much for sharing a personal story about migraine. I can totally deeply relate. I used to face headache, migraine every other day. I was so fed up with migraine that, at some point I thought I have tumor or something like that. Luckily, I consulted a doctor, and she explained why this is happening to me. Thank god, it's not tumor. Keep up the good work, brother ❤️
holy-this was excellent. thank you. I found this (perfectly) on time.
the quality of the video is nothing but breathtaking. thank you, aye!
amazing video! you're one of my favorite youtubers! This movie was amazing, and i think what you discussed hit the point of what I felt while watching it
Thanks for the video. I hope you're feeling better ! Take care.
I think the scene with Siobhan refusing to go with Mrs. McCormick is her refusing to become a banshee and leave the island to pursue a life she wants for herself instead of staying on her island and becoming like McCormick.
Wonderful analysis. Thank you for this!
Of the 7 best picture noms I've watched this year Banshees is by far the deepest and most layered. I love subtly allegorical stories that can be mined for meaning on multiple levels. That combined with so many fantastic performances and the beautiful cinematography really put this film over the top for me. Precious few movies have transfixed me while watching them the way this one did. I'll need to watch it again to truly determine why I found it so resonant.
Been waiting for you to do a video on this!
Excellent video! I am really enjoying the analysis of this movie. It gives you so much and I think it's a modern classic that will be studied for years to come! It's almost Shakespearian
A very insightful and articulate take on a fine piece of cinema. “Banshees” is definitely one of those films that sows a seed in the mind and refuses to be experienced as “just a piece of entertainment”.
as always, super reflections, merci Maestro!
Very much enjoyed this. Well done!
thank you for putting my thoughts into words i love when people analyse this movie
Such a cool and insightful video. Would love to see you do a video on Park Chan Wook's, "Decision To Leave". That was my favourite film of 2022.
I cannot stop thinking about how Catholicism as a theme runs through this, too. The idea that God placed us for some greater purpose that will reveal itself over time, but simultaneously instructs them to maintain kindness and grace, in spite of personal suffering these characters hold. Colm's ability to confess his own feelings in confession is the only moment of brutal honesty about his mental state, a space where he can be honest in a way he cannot be with his best friend.
I really appreciate this review, thank you.