The Banshees of Inisherin

 Pádraic (Colin Farrell) is a lovely guy. Everyone thinks so, even if he is a little dull. That's never been a problem, though, until his best friend Colm (Brendan Gleeson) abruptly starts ignoring him. Aggressively ignoring him. To the point that, when Pádraic keeps trying to mend the relationship, Colm threatens to cut off one of his fingers for every time Pádraic talks to him henceforth.
 This is especially hurtful, as Colm is a fiddler, and one of the reasons he wants to end the relationship is because he wants to spend his days composing music.

 Things escalate. Pádraic manages to piss off a violent Garda (Gary Lydon) and pulls a hilariously horrible trick on a poor man out of jealousy; Colm, meanwhile, makes good on his promise in horrifying fashion. There's mythical undertones as a Shakespearean crone (Sheila Flitton) foretells of doom - if only there was something in Irish folklore we could tie this to...

 The Banshees of Inisherin is a dark, dark comedy with a surrealist sensibility and a, let's say deliberate pace. The character's motivations and arcs all end up making sense, at least within the film's heightened, dramatic confines. I'm not that big a fan of writer/director Martin McDonagh's work (I tend to prefer his brother's movies), but he's always had a gift for writing dialog and it really shines here.

 All the interchanges are snappy, often very funny, and beautifully acted. Colm is a dumbass, but he's a very relatable dumbass; The script plays with common insecurities (especially in this age of impostor syndrome), social fears, and carries a lot of sincere emotional weight.

 The script is not subtle about its themes (it's set in the waning days of the Irish civil war, and the conflict is mentioned a few times) but the story stands by itself and is informed by them rather than trying to make any sort of sweeping statements. It also has a lot of tricky, emotionally complex moments that are pulled off with tact and flair, making the whole thing messy and more affecting.
 Add to that some gorgeous countrysides and beautifully lit interiors (cinematographer: Ben Davis), an excellent soundtrack including a lot of Carter Burwell along with some traditional celtic fiddles, and some lovely script flourishes like a recurring boathook, or Colm's relationship with his sister (Kerry Condon) and the village idiot (Barry Keoghan).

 It's a lovely movie, is what I'm saying - hilarious and affecting. Definitely my favorite from this director.