Analyzing The Banshees of Inisherin Through One Scene

The Banshees of Inisherin is a beautifully crafted film that tells the story of a two friends living on a small Irish island. While the film is filled with complex and compelling characters and scenarios, one scene stands out as particularly interesting to me.

In this scene, Barry Keoghan's character Dominic asks Kerry Condin's character Siobhan if she could ever fall in love with someone like him. 

Dominic: “Well, yeah, what I was wantin’ to ask you was… you probably wouldn't ever want to, I don't know, to fall in love with a boy like me would ya?” 

Siobhan replies, “Oh, Dominic I don’t think so, love.”

“No, yeah, no. I was thinking no,” says Dominic.

Throughout the movie, Dominic is portrayed as a dimwitted and simple-minded individual while Siobhan is the smartest person on the island. 

The contrast between the two characters is striking, and it's clear that Kerry feels a mix of sympathy and frustration towards Dominic. The fact that Dominic is asking seemingly out of the blue is so funny, but also mind boggling because it seems like even he knows there is zero chance she reciprocates.

It’s a microcosm of what Siobhan is feeling because throughout the film she is surrounded by frustrating people.

Everyone’s Dull

One of the things that makes this scene so interesting is Padraic (Siobhan’s brother), played by Colin Farrel, is the central figure of the film, and his dull and simple-minded nature is a key part of the story. 

However, Dominic’s ignorance is on a whole different level, and his childlike behavior and lack of intelligence is a stark contrast to the more grounded and intelligent characters in the film.

Although, throughout the movie you begin to see that Padraic and Dominic have a lot more in common than we initially think and he also has a bit of sweetness in him. The sweetness is shown in this scene between Siobhan and Dominic, but in a complex way.

The tension that arises after Kerry's character rejects Dominic is mostly awkward. It’s also sad and hilarious.

Dominic: “Well, I best go over there and do whatever that thing over there I was gonna do was”

While Dominic ultimately walks away without incident, there is a moment where it feels like he might lash out in anger or frustration. This could just be my read, but I liked the element of danger in the scene, and it highlights the fact that Dominic is a troubled and misunderstood character.

Ultimately, the Banshees of Inisherin is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged film that is well worth a watch for fans of good artsy movies. The dynamic between the simple-minded Dominic and the intelligent Kerry is just one example of the many compelling character interactions that make this film such a rewarding watch. 

If you're a fan of grounded human stories, or just appreciate a well-crafted and thought-provoking film, be sure to check out The Banshees of Inisherin.

Here’s another interaction in this scene that had me cracking up:

Dominic: “It’s a great ol’ lake isn’t it?” 

He points hilariously at the lake and moves his hand slowly off to the left while silence lingers and Siobhan looks at him in awe.

Dominic: “I’m glad I caught you, actually. Because there was something I was wanting to ask you, actually. And discoverin’ how much we have in common, well, it just makes me want to ask you even more.”

Siobhan: “We don’t have anything in common.”

Dominic: “Uh, don’t skip ahead!”

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