Siobhan is the only character who thinks that BOTH Padraic and Colm are being idiots, Padraic for not letting Colm's decision go, and Colm for cutting off their friendship for petty reasons, and doesn't side with either of them. She acknowledges how monotonous life on the island is, and actually gets the chance to expand her horizons beyond it.

Suddenly realizing that there's something to the fact that they are on an island, disconnected from the tragedies unfolding on the mainland. (refusing to acknowledge pain.) But then Siobhán, by leaving the island, chooses to confront that darkness, and face it head on... thereby freeing herself? Is that anything??

I feel Colm is ready to embrace his friendship at the end because he no longer has the means for greatness. He wanted to cut off his fingers so that he wouldn't have the burden of being great and could get back to enjoying the smaller things in life. He placed the burden on Padraic because he didn't want to admit that to himself. This film has SO much to talk about. Beautiful video as always.

What stuck with me was how illogical and self-destructive Colm's reaction to Padraic continuing to reach out was: the reason why he cut contact was to focus on his violin music, yet he cuts off his own fingers to scare Padraic off, thereby denying himself his last wish to be a musician. Kinda fits with the civil war analogy, I guess, where people fighting their kin just end up hurting themselves in the process

One of the bits of dialogue that really stuck with me from the movie for some reason: Priest: "Do you think god gives a shite about miniature donkeys?" Colm: "I fear he doesn't. I fear that's where we've all gone wrong." I think there is a question in there about what "niceness" even is, and how our perception of being a "nice, good person" may be fundamentally flawed.

The real banshees were the friends we made along the way.

Hearing Thomas go between his usual American accent and then pronouncing Pádraic like a proper Irish countryman is making me giggle hehe

The most painful part of the film is when Barry Keoghan goes up to Siobhan and asks if she could ever see herself with him, and she says no, and he replies, okay, I'm just going to go and do that other thing I came to do here. Then leaves. It hurt. Because I always thought that his character was the most enlightened person on the island seeing everything as it really was and realizing, sadly, that he couldn't survive it.

Colm’s ultimatum is so insane that it clouds my whole perception of the movie. What was he asking for? You could summarise his ultimatum as “stop talking to me and let me follow my dreams, or I will ruin my dreams”. Now, if Pádraic cares a lot for his friend it is natural to expect he wishes no harm to him, but what Colm asked was for Pádraic to take that exact care for him and do nothing with it. It is such a puzzling ask to expect someone to love you enough to wish you the best but not to interact with you again. It runs completely counter to what people do when they like someone. It feels like he knew the ultimatum was going to be ignored and just found an excuse to make Pádraic as miserable as he is. All of Colm’s suffering in the film is self-inflicted.

The way Barry Keoghan goes "nice!" is just so,,,,GAH, it's so well-done.

I think I'm the kind of person that "gets" movies and their subtext and deeper meanings.. then I watch one of your videos and I feel like a clapping seal.

This is the most meaningful analysis so far. My initial takeaway was "this movie gets it - we humans desperately want to meet each other's expectations, but we're embarrassingly inadequate when it comes to supporting one another when we fall short". Still, every possible interpretation - be it "the futility of civil war", "banshees as a scapegoat for the fear of death", "Colm turns into a teenage musician in his midlife crisis", or even "you, the audience, just sit back and watch with amusement at this dark comedy, like the titular banshees" - seems to exist simultaneously in a weird superposition. I can't stop thinking about this movie.

To say I cried is an understatement. And that was before Jenny. When Siobohan left, I could just see Paderaic’s future, and it was bleak and lonely. To me Colm achieved what he wanted, to write his song, and understood the horrific consequences that came from that. A beautiful film on loneliness and depression. I’m going to cry again. Thanks for the essay Thomas

i think the characters clothing has a lot to do with this emotional hiding. Always wearing layers where the colors seem to be underneath. Siobhan finally wearing yellow on the outside at the end. It doesn't always work like the color green on the outside but yellow red and blue seem to clearly play into dispair/pain, hope, and loneliness.

Great movie and interesting video. I do think that Banshees is not a particularly deep movie - it wears almost all of it's themes on it's sleeve - but that doesn't make it any less harrowing. One thing I was surprised you didn't get into was Pádraic's devastating realization that the 'village idiot', Dominic, was actually smarter and more interesting than him. As much as the movie targets male friendship, loneliness, sadness, pain, it is doing it from a lens of the idea that "the unexamined life is not worth living." One of Colm's major reasons for the break-up is that Pádraic is just so damn dull. Colm is trying to change something in his life, breath something into it - who knows why the last decade(s) he's been fine to go to the pub every night with his friend and have the same conversations over and over, but something changed and that just wasn't enough for him anymore. He woke up and looked at his life and no longer denied he was unhappy with it. That's terrifying. Most people do not want to do that because it can ruin whatever happiness you've cobbled together to stay sane. Pádraic had an orderly universe and was happy - perhaps he, like I think a lot of people do, unconsciously realized that if he poked at that life, it would unravel in terrible ways. And I can't blame people for not necessarily wanting to look too deeply at their own lives if all it will bring is misery - there are a lot of 'islands' in America, in cities and towns, big and small, where people are just hanging on and the circle they form around them are just in as much agreement of not peering too deep into the abyss. Whether that leads ultimately to more pain before we go, I am not sure.

Woof.. the way you explained how humans ignore/downplay/justify negative emotions and pain with your own recent experience of pain is magical. We all like to think we're kind, empathetic and caring but if we can't handle/accept our own pain or share it safely, how can we be there for others in any real way. It isn't something I was expecting and was a perfect segway out of the Banshee sometimes representing the way each character deals with their pain.

I think Colm has suddenly become very aware of his mortality and wants to do something he deems to be more fulfilling and worthwhile. But then, as you suggest, he also somehow realizes that his cultivation of music and poetry are fruitless ways to fend off the inevitable. This ties into greater appreciation with Padraic when the latter becomes passionate about something. Coln has been needing a jolt of passion in his life and which helps explain his self-maiming.

I heard "nice" as an effort to avoid calling him dumb. The funniest part of the movie was watching him slowly realize that.

You have such a unique take on this film that unlocked new meaning for me. The elements of self delusion and repressed pain was an undercurrent throughout the film. I was so confused by Colm's actions because it goes against his reason for the break up, but now I realized he's the character I'm most similar to. It's not that you want to necessary get away, but you just don't like where your life is at and every reminder of that just make you hate yourself a little bit more. Padraic is a reflection of how much time has slipped away from him that he wanted to aggressively cut off. Colm's desire to create art is not the true motivation; it's his desire to make something of himself in order to bury the past regrets. That's why he reacted childishly because he's both frustrated and ashamed. In our own pain we tend to ignore other people's feelings, but that's how they ended with a better understanding of each other in the end. Now I really need a rewatch.

"Do you think God gives damn about miniature donkeys, Colm?" "I fear he doesnt... and I fear that's where it's all gone wrong."

The small details in this film are brilliant, like the decision to make the coat she wears when she leaves a bright, warm, yellow colour. The colour yellow can represent happiness, joy, hope and energy. She is the metaphorical lighthouse on that bleak island and she is taking it with her. If you freeze the video at 08:19 you can see what i mean. The image of her brother Padraig, a sad, lonely, dark figure standing in a dark, gloomy doorway juxtaposed with her almost angelic figure, bathed in bright light wearing her bright, yellow coat. A figurative bright light or beacon of hope if you will in a barren and lonely landscape.

I like when films explore the emotional struggles people go through that are barely recognizable on the surface but catastrophic from the inside. I also like when films act as a medium to think and rethink over these issues and understand the human condition. Kind of like constantly reexamining an object in order to render a near accurate portrait of it.

I reeeeeeally appreciate that you worked to pronounce all the characters names correctly! On behalf of the Irish, thank you!

This movie was so good I still haven't fully recovered enough to go for a rewatch, gotta psych myself up for it.

I'd like to add: there is also the theme of mortality, legacy, and whay makes someone's life valuable. And the two men present two amtithetical positions. It is in the conflict scene in which both are kind of yelling at each other. Colm feels being nice is of no value, life is meaningful only if one does something monumental and lasting like Mozart, Beethoven, whose work remains for ages after their death. He says that no one remembers who was nice, they remember the music (a stand in for any work of note, and also glory). And Padraic says that I remember who was nice, and then he talks about his sister. So essentially Padraic finds value in life in the here and now, within the personal sphere. Collum looks for value in life in some form of existence beyond death - that is essentially what glory is. A man viewing his approaching mortality seeking to create something great that'll last for ages is essentially trying to overcome mortality. Trying to create a legacy is trying to ensure existence in some form beyond death.

So much conflict could have been avoided had Colm simply explained to Padraic why he didn't want to be his friend anymore, as opposed to abruptly cutting ties with him. This leads to Padraic becoming a more bitter man by the end, having lost both of his close friends, his Donkey and his sister.

I love this notion of analyzing a work of art through the lens of questions. These are all the questions that I was left with after watching the movie 5 times in theaters. I guess I'm in the minority of people who finds the ending somewhat hopeful; in a strange sense, though we never witness any reconcile between Colm and Pádraic, the conflict brings growth for both of them...and it's not hard to imagine that they'll be having drinks again in a few days time with far less passivity in their friendship than before.

I don't think Padraic is defined by his niceness either. I think the film is more after what the characters want and what lengths they'll go to get it. Padraic craves kindness, hence his increasing habit of letting the animals inside as his human companions leave him. Animals, while socially incomparable make him feel unconditionally loved. Colm on the other hand is obsessed with purpose hence everything he essentially does following the inciting incident of the film. Siobhan herself isn't too dissimilar to Colm in that they both have negative feelings toward stagnancy, but I'd say her ideals slide more towards personal freedom. I think it's the surface level perception of Padraic as a nice person that keeps them rooted as they are at the start but it's his seesawing between the two as one drifts further away from him that eventually drives them both apart. Feeling needed by a nice person can feel like its own reward but feeling needed by a desperate one can be a slow death.

The question that sticks with me is whether or not Dominic takes his own life. Considering despair is a big theme, I think he might have been overwhelmed by it. I also appreciate your comments about pain. I think constantly about the things I keep to myself and how hard it is to share. I also feel weird about sharing this comment 😅

I love your videos so much, Thomas! I have chronic migraines and I was so thankful to hear you talk about your migraines! Your pain is 100% valid (something I don't think our society says to each other enough)! I hope you take it easy on yourself, I find that the more accepting I've been of my chronic illness, the more accepting others have been. And not in a pity myself way, just in an accepting and moving on with what I need to do type of way. I hope you get some rest, and when you're able, we'll always look forward to your videos!

A thing that puzzles me is this: there are loads and loads of videos analysing this film and many of them focus on which of the 2 main characters is the better person/the good guy/the nicer of the two. But none that I've seen so far make any mention of Colm seeking out the company of the policeman as an alternative to talking to Padraig and having to listen to him talk about donkey shit. But he knows that policeman is a violent bully, that he abuses his own son, and he engages with him in a horrible conversation about him wanting to take part in an execution. He hasn't just been lumbered with the policeman in the pub, he seems to have sought him out. He'd cut off his own fingers to avoid Padraig's company, but would willingly spend time with this really vile man listening to his equally vile conversation. I''m surprised that no one seems to find that inconsistent to say the least.

I think the Siobhan and Colm are the same character who choose to deal with it differently

Great video! One thing I think about the film is that Padraic has a self-image of being a "nice person" and he has to maintain that self image. In actuality he is very self-centered and lacks empathy. Therefore he has to keep trying to be friends with Colm because he just can't conceive that someone wouldn't like him and that he is actually "not nice". Great insights in this video and now I want to watch it again.

Loved this video. One of your best I think. The work you put into these, how you analyse in a free-flowing intelligent and concise way, and how you link the movies to broader concepts is incredible. Always making me think, always putting words on ideas I could almost grasp when watching the movie and pushing the concepts one step further. As someone who has a masters in film, I am constantly amazed by your work. Keep it up!

Holy shit dude, my appreciation of this movie just multiplied by 10x because of this video. Mind opening stuff, thanks for such a well crafted and articulate video.

Conflating niceness with happiness is the best explanation of the Irish psyche I've ever heard

It amazes me how Colm wasn’t prudent or patient enough to recognize that Pádraic’s relieved confession of deceiving the musician visitor was a petty move out of emotional panic and desperation, rather than Pádraic malevolently screwing Colm over. Goodness, I love this film. Me shouting “NOOOO!” at the screen when Pádraic confesses deceiving the musician visitor=All-time theater moment. 😅😅😅

Also: Please do a video on "TÁR" soon! I've rewatched it twice since seeing it in the theaters and each time reveals SO MUCH more! It's an incredible film and Todd Field has not been receiving enough attention for his brilliant handling of it.

Another stellar video. Recently rewatched this just the other week and it really cemented it as a masterpiece for me. You perfectly nail why - the complexity and lack of simple answers in it are part of its allure. Thank you as always for this channel. Fantastic essay.

Always a treat to see a Thomas Flight upload. Some of the best film essays on the platform. 🙏🏻

I guess Colm's driving fear is mortality & being forgotten after death while Padraic's is loneliness. And these fears drive their actions and reactions.

This movie hit me hard, because it reminded me of a toxic friendship I ended. We don't get to see what leads to Colm's decision. In my case, it was years of ignorance and a naïve disregard for principles. The outcome in the story and my relationship was the same. The only way to end the friendship was extreme actions because obsession and twisted loyalty could not reckoned with. I know what its like to leave a "Padraic."

Amazing content. Makes me really want to rewatch Banshees.

I really love your channel! Wish you the best and be well always! This essay was so great to watch tbh.

I'm sorry to hear about your headaches, it's takes incredible courage to reveal your pain to such a large audience. Great video and thanks for sharing it!

This is video is an incredible analysis and your podcast on this movie was just as good. You are able to put to words feelings I was having about the movies and the characters. Thank you so much for this Thomas.

This movie really shook me and it must have been one of the best ones I've seen this year, if not the best. I live on a relatively remote island, and this movie spoke to me on so many different levels. And it prompted me to write a review and start a drawing about it. It also led me to discover your channel and served as a reminder of how lucky humanity is to have such a thing as cinema.

Really enjoyed the breakdown and the open question format. Felt like all the points you brought up really made me think about the intentions of both the characters and the filmmaker. Well done!

I respect you sharing about your migraines, because often it is looked down upon, when people are being vulnerable, but I think that it is simply human to be feeling pain and sharing it with those whom you trust

This movie quietly stuck with me since watching it last year and this video really helped me think a bit further into it since I can often get a bit lost in metaphors. Thanks for presenting it so eloquently too

Thank you for this absolute treasure of an analysis of one of the best films of the last five years (at least). I must admit I've struggled a lot to connect with it which was especially confusing because I relate to Colm on a level that is almost frightening. And it is video essays like this, picking apart the sometimes delicate strings of emotions, that help me connect and recognize and value said emotions. The ones on the screen and in the end within myself.

Man. I know you probably put tons of work into these analyses, but it's still impressive the things you can pull out and I can't help but wish I had this skill! Thanks for what you do, keep it coming!

This was a great analysis, it made me appreciate the movie even more. This thing about acknowledging pain, how being vulnerable isn't weakness, existential loneliness etc etc are all themes I've been grappling with in my own life since February. I made a genuine effort to put these thoughts into words in my journal but honestly you said everything right around the ten minute mark, everything I've been struggling to put into words. A great video! Thank you!

This analysis really inspired me in a strange way. Whether living too much for others, or too much for yourself - we all ultimately have to acknowledge and face our pain at some point and hopefully discover ourselves in doing so. Another great video Thomas!

One of your best videos! Such a wonderful and insightful job, thank you so much for all of this!

What an awesome video man. I loved this film, but you’re exactly right - the more you think about the themes it explores, it seems to always leave you with more questions than answers. Your video has helped me personally decipher the themes that stuck with me most. Great video!!

This is, by far, one of the greatest video essays i have watched; maybe I’m biased here as Banshees is becoming one of my favourite films of all time, but this watch was thoroughly enjoyable, your in-depth analysis is incredible and constantly allowed further thought, specifically upon aspects I hadn’t even considered; love your work Thomas, keep it coming!

I've probably watched this video 10 times. Easily one of the best cinema video essays. I keep coming back to it. Great job, man.

I have been on a Thomas Flight binge for the past 2 days and I’m astonished by how incredible the writing in these videos is. You’ve absolutely earned a subscribe from me, and have quickly risen the ranks to become one of my favorite KZfaq channels. Good god.

This video is everything I could ask for this movie and more! Thank you & great podcast

Incredible essay. Loved this film so much as well! To me, its this: Colm’s ultimatum and finger chopping is a testament to how resolute and decided he is on his final path, and acknowledging that it is here (his end). He does not consider to have time left to waste and wants to accomplish something. His fingers are so important to him with his music, but the end is already underway and not changing. He is set in it. On the other hand he sees Pádraic perfectly content to just keep on living the same way every day, never confronting or questioning anything. At the end, I see Colm’s attitude to Pádraic as a new-found respect, not only for seeing him finally confronting and taking action, but also for showing he truly cares for Colm (and his dog)

Amazing content as always. Keep up the good work.

This is one of the best movie video essays I’ve ever experienced. Very insightful and helpful.

Great analysis of what lies beneath our admiration of this film. Also, I admire you at this moment for equating your pain with your understanding of the film. We are hesitant to express our pain for all of the reasons you stated but also because it is a deeply personal thing that we don't think others will understand. It's not just physical pain, it's the way the pain affects you psychologically and your interactions with the world. I know if a film has really gotten under my skin if I'm constantly thinking about it and finding new dimensions in it. When a film can bring you to a little bit of understanding about yourself and the world around you, then it's art. That's what good art does and should do. Otherwise, it's just celluloid or canvas or paper etc. etc. Thanks for this channel. I really enjoy it.

This movie hit me really hard. I did the same thing to a friend a long time ago, cut him off abruptly because I just didn’t like him anymore. And honestly it was because I was somehow already becoming existentially concerned in my late teens, and I didn’t want to spend any more time with someone that bothered me. Obviously there wasn’t as much of a fuss around it as there was in this movie, but it made me think further about what I may have put him through. And it also kind of made me feel better about the decision at the same time, he has better friends now.

sorry about your migraines, thomas. but thank you for always putting out such thought provoking quality content. i enjoy it so much and always look forward to your videos!

Really great explainer. Also this vid just highlights how brilliant and funny the dialogue is.

This is one of the most beautiful and impacting films I have ever seen. Thank you for your sensitive and thoughtful analysis of these very complex characters. 🥰

Great video Thomas! You helped me appreciated the film and performances even more. Another aspect of the film that I love as well is the use of colour. I don't know if there is any subtext with the film's use of rich red, kelly green, deep blue and sunflower yellow, but the rich colours are just such a beautiful contrast against the bleak cold/windy/demure feeling you get throughout the film. Again, I don't know if there is any meaning with the colours, but it was just something that really caught my eye.

Loved your point of view thomas, our tendencies to hide our pain and our sufferings from society and not accepting our realities touches me. I have felt it alot

Something I respect from your videos is the aspect ratio. You understand that most people will be watching via a phone and allow for that extra immersion when they choose to widen the screen.

A very moving and thought provoking presentation. So glad I found your site. One of my favorite films from '22, although I was not entirely able to articulate why, at first.

Thank you for sharing your pain and difficulties of life with us, Thomas! ❤

I watched Banshees for the first time earlier in the week. I've not managed to shake it yet and still can't work out if I've felt more lonely since or am just more aware of my own loneliness. It wasn't quite the movie I was expecting (In Bruges on Craggy Island, I think) and there's a fair bit to unpack and process. I really liked your thoughts and insights here, it was very perceptive and, almost annoyingly, has provided even more to think about. Thanks!

amazing video! you're one of my favorite youtubers! This movie was amazing, and i think what you discussed hit the point of what I felt while watching it

Of the 7 best picture noms I've watched this year Banshees is by far the deepest and most layered. I love subtly allegorical stories that can be mined for meaning on multiple levels. That combined with so many fantastic performances and the beautiful cinematography really put this film over the top for me. Precious few movies have transfixed me while watching them the way this one did. I'll need to watch it again to truly determine why I found it so resonant.

This is the best video I've seen talking about the movie! You lifted the deep layers of the movie in a way that blew my mind! You also made me understand more why I identify with Pádraic, I really felt a conexion when he was drunk talking about being nice. But now I can also see I identify with his denial in front of despair. Truly thought-provoking video for a fantastic thought-provoking movie! Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

@ThomasFlight, you should read the book Seven Days in June. It’s essentially a romance novel but the main character also deals with crippling migraines and she struggles with the fear of sharing that part of herself with others and spends a lot of time masking her pain. Thank you for pushing through to bring us this amazing video!

thank you for putting my thoughts into words i love when people analyse this movie

If there was a proper award for KZfaq Essayists I know who'd get my vote. Thank you for this fascinating analysis.

Before we get started at the 2:12 mark, I just wanted to say thank you for all of your time, work, efforts, & love you bring forth with these.

I don't comment on videos much, but Thomas, like this film, I think you've managed to not sneak, but weave a subject that is profound, and almost elusive. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I often feel this way, and fear being labeled as a burden or labeled a complainer when faced with addressing my problems, but also understanding that letting them roam is just as dangerous. Again, just like the film, the subject you are unpacking is a universal one that doesn't yield clear and concise answers, but rather gives way to more complex, and perhaps unsolvable questions. That isn't something I can say about many films, much less KZfaq video essays. That was a long winded version of saying, great video.

I love your delivery, intelligence, and voice- And you actually made this film accessible for me- i couldn't quite see into it. Now i feel it...

I was like Farrell's character, so every time a person said you're nice, it really means they are tired of you

I cannot stop thinking about how Catholicism as a theme runs through this, too. The idea that God placed us for some greater purpose that will reveal itself over time, but simultaneously instructs them to maintain kindness and grace, in spite of personal suffering these characters hold. Colm's ability to confess his own feelings in confession is the only moment of brutal honesty about his mental state, a space where he can be honest in a way he cannot be with his best friend.

the quality of the video is nothing but breathtaking. thank you, aye!

I think the scene with Siobhan refusing to go with Mrs. McCormick is her refusing to become a banshee and leave the island to pursue a life she wants for herself instead of staying on her island and becoming like McCormick.

Such a cool and insightful video. Would love to see you do a video on Park Chan Wook's, "Decision To Leave". That was my favourite film of 2022.

This was the best video on the movie that I’ve seen so far! I also like how you snuck in the words “decision to leave” in the middle 😂

Excellent video! I am really enjoying the analysis of this movie. It gives you so much and I think it's a modern classic that will be studied for years to come! It's almost Shakespearian

your most profound and moving content yet my man!

Wow great video. Really helped me form more of an opinion on the film because upon watching it I was enjoying it on a surface level but couldn't quite crack into the deeper layers. Can't wait to rewatch it now

A very insightful and articulate take on a fine piece of cinema. “Banshees” is definitely one of those films that sows a seed in the mind and refuses to be experienced as “just a piece of entertainment”.

what a great video, i was hoping u would delve into the concepts that banshees brings to question. thanks Thomas \o/

holy-this was excellent. thank you. I found this (perfectly) on time.

Excellent analysis. Brought it to another level bringing your own feelings into it. Feeling vicariously through film is easy. What’s powerful about this film is that it gives no answers.

Been waiting for you to do a video on this!

Thanks for the video. I hope you're feeling better ! Take care.

As an Irish person, your respect for the language is genuinely touching. Especially when in most Internet spaces discussing the language, it's reduced to an old, racist trope of "impossible to learn/pronounce". Your pronunciation of Pádraic is fantastic, probing that argument wrong. And I loved that you included the fada. Thank you.

I appreciate your vulnerability.💕 I'm also someone who deals with chronic migraines as well as cluster headaches. I find it can be hard for me to convey how much pain I'm in to others, especially when there's no tangible representation of that pain.