christophergratz

This film is a masterpiece.

But why?

First of all, of course, you have to mention the cinematic aspects. The camera shots of the landscape of the Irish village, the incredibly good acting performances, especially by Colin Farell and Brendan Gleeson (what else could you expect), but also the supporting roles. Barry Keoghan, who plays the role of Dominic Kearney, an insecure, naïve character broken by his environment, is particularly noteworthy.

But all this was to be expected in a film by Martin McDonagh anyway.

What makes the film so powerful, however, is the unique story and the messages that are so suptily and creatively delivered. Of course, it's about friendship. And the meaning that friendship and the loss of friendship can do to you. But this is only the surface and serves as the basic structure to drive the story forward. Rather more, the story is about what the isolation from the outside world is doing with the character of a human being. A small village, isolated from the outside world. Each citizen is marked by loneliness and by the lack of human relationships and diversity. What happens to a person when he is "trapped" in his wasteland all his life without any prospect of love, variety, events. I do not want to reveal too much. But when the only person in the village who still has the desire and openness to the world in her, leaves the village, everything collapses. The people are broken and this is so subtly and incidentally communicated by Martin McDonagh. Be it through the big emotional importance that animals play ( hints of bestiality, the donkey's name is Jenny,...), incredibly funny dialogues and characters that are on the verge of complete madness (the old woman, is she a clairvoyant, a witch or just gone mad?).

The great thing about the film is that it has so many interpretations and makes you think, while, by the way, is incredibly funny. It is a must see for everyone who wants to witness a more than clever and funny movie!