The Banshees of Inisherin

Lovely coastal Irish landscapes fill almost every frame of The Banshees of Inisherin, but beneath the surface, its setting in a remote island farming village is not as idyllic as it seems.

Persistent cannon fire in the background offers a symbolic clue to the intent of director Martin McDonagh (In Bruges) with this contemplative character study, which is a deliberately paced yet quietly perceptive examination of the fragile and sometimes fickle nature of friendships.

Both amusing and unsettling, this well-acted drama about masculinity and male bonding effectively sprinkles humor to lighten the mood amid its quaint setting and muted emotions.

Set against a 1920s wartime backdrop, it focuses on Padraic (Colin Farrell), who arrives to meet his neighbor and longtime buddy, Colm (Brendan Gleeson), for their daily afternoon walk to the local pub.

Finding his absence strange, he eventually tracks down his longtime buddy and is stunned by Colm’s unannounced and seemingly unprovoked desire to cease their brotherhood.

“You didn’t say nothing to me. You didn’t do nothing to me,” he explains bluntly. “I just don’t like you no more.”

As their ensuing standoff intensifies, it winds up affecting others around them and disrupting the social fabric of the entire community.

The hostility exposes dark secrets, along with Colm’s stubbornness and Padraic’s insecurity. Padraic buddies up with a young misfit (Barry Keoghan) in a search for answers, in addition to his more reasonable sister (Kerry Condon).

We’re given an idea of the relationship they’ve had to this point, despite a lack of flashbacks, and might even wonder if they shouldn’t have been friends in the first place. Ultimately, as the two men cling to their grudges and spite, it seems destined for a violent resolution.

Sharp dialogue and committed performances by Farrell and Gleeson — who also teamed with McDonagh for In Bruges — combine to create some fascinating dynamics that shift the loyalties of both moviegoers and periphery characters.

McDonagh’s multilayered screenplay explores loneliness and isolation while confronting emotions we tend to repress. Its witty banter yields universal truths.

Returning to those explosions in the distance: Although the characters in The Banshees of Inisherin are sequestered from the “troubles” on the mainland, the arbitrary and senseless nature of their division provides an apt metaphor.

Rated R, 109 minutes.