RIFLE RANGE BOY: A legacy to leave behind?

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Writer & Director: Martin McDonagh

Different people would interpret this movie differently. As all movies based in Ireland tend to be based on the Irish Rebellion, naturally, it could be construed as a veiled depiction of the clash between the Roman Catholics and the Protestants. It could be an allegorical reference to a futile feud between brothers which had lost all relevance and had no meaning in modern Ireland. The police, representing England, could be the ruling coalition and may benefit from continued chaos.

Someone proposed that the storyteller is trying to imply that hope had died in the region, and another character is pushing for the other to get out of the place to start a new life.

To put the plot straight, the story happens on an island, Inisherin, during the tail-end of the Irish Civil War, around the 1920s, just across the straits on the mainland. Nothing much is happening on the island. The protagonist, Pádraic, milks his cow and spends much time at the local pub. One day, his usual drinking buddy, Colm, says he does not want anything to do with him anymore. The movie's whole point is to guess why Colm's sudden change of heart. To make it more dramatic, Colm, a violinist, threatens that if Padraic does not stay away, he will amputate his fingers one by one with each meeting.

Pádriac is actually not the sharpest tool in the shed. On the other hand, Colm plays the violin, tries to compose new tunes, and teaches youngsters his skill. He is a great sport at the local pub. Meanwhile, Pádriac's sister, who is reasonably well-read, cooks and cares for him, calls it quits. She leaves the island.

I think the film's cryptic message is the existential crisis question. We start adulthood thinking that the world is an oyster for us to scoop. With the 'never say die' attitude, we can mould a utopia of peace and understanding. When reality sinks in and mortality almost stares into our faces, we start reassessing our achievements. We wonder what our legacy is going to be. We wish we had things differently if we were to do things all over again. This knowledge, a life lesson, is what we want to leave for the young to learn. Sometimes life lessons need to be drilled in a not so pleasant. Mollycoddling does not always work. Sometimes it is kind to be unkind.

A third person would label all these as depression, a reaction to chronic exposure to uncertainty.