The Banshees Of Inisherin (2022)

Set in 1923 Ireland as the Irish Civil War is ending, a folk musician (Brendan Gleeson) is tired of his dimwitted drinking buddy (Colin Farrell) and his mindless prattle and attempts to end their relationship. But the dimwit doesn't get it and pushes for a reconciliation that ends in dire consequences for both of them. Written and directed by Martin McDonagh (THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSISSIPPI). There's much to admire in this dark tale (with comic overtones) of a friendship gone bad but there are elements so disturbing that I had a difficult time getting into it. Frankly, I totally understood why Gleeson wanted to end the friendship and my empathy was with him and not the dimwit. But it escalates into downright nastiness and ugliness that eventually I lost my sympathy for him. There are two sympathetic characters, Kerry Condon as Farrell's sister (the only character with any sense in the movie) and Berry Keoghan as the physically and sexually abused son of a policeman (Gary Lydon). A big thumbs up to the wide screen cinematography of Ben Davis (CAPTAIN MARVEL) who makes rural Ireland look like heaven and Carter Burwell's discrete score. With Sheila Flitton and David Pearse.