The Banshees of Inisherin – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

The Banshees of Inisherin

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2022

18%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Bleak Irish fable about a friendship's end—brilliant but brutal, with self-mutilation and dead donkeys. Adults only.

7.7/10

96%

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The Banshees of Inisherin

movie

R, 2022

18%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Bleak Irish fable about a friendship's end—brilliant but brutal, with self-mutilation and dead donkeys. Adults only.

7.7

96%

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7.7/10

96%

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Screenwise Verdict

Let's be clear: this is not a family movie, not a teen movie, not even close. The Banshees of Inisherin is a masterfully crafted, deeply depressing meditation on loneliness and cruelty, anchored by two of the best performances you'll see. Critics rightly praised it.

But it's also filled with graphic self-mutilation, a dead donkey (shown), suicide, nudity, and nonstop profanity. Multiple parents describe it as disturbing and grotesque. One Reddit parent asked if it's suitable for kids and the response was: "No, it would be received as very boring, and has punctuated scenes of violent/blood that's disturbing."

If you're an adult who loves dark, literary cinema and can handle bleak content, this is worth your time. If you have kids in the house, wait until they're asleep and you're in the mood to feel terrible. This is a 'watch alone with a glass of whiskey' movie, not a 'family movie night' pick.

Age Fit

This is strictly adult content (18+). Even though Common Sense Media suggests 15, the graphic self-harm, animal cruelty, and unrelenting bleakness make it inappropriate for teens. It's a brilliant film for grown-ups who appreciate dark, literary cinema.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

This dark Irish fable centers on the abrupt, inexplicable end of a friendship and the spiraling emotional cruelty that follows. The tone is bleak and depressing—one character mutilates himself multiple times in escalating acts of self-harm, another drowns a beloved animal in retaliation. There's little kindness, cooperation, or emotional health modeled; instead, it's a study in stubbornness, loneliness, and petty cruelty. Not emotionally nourishing content.

Imaginative

Martin McDonagh crafts a highly original, absurdist moral fable set on a remote Irish island in 1923. The premise—a friendship ending for no clear reason—is both simple and deeply strange, exploring existential themes about legacy, art, and the meaning of human connection. The dialogue is sharp and darkly comic, the setting atmospheric. It doesn't invite creative participation, but it's undeniably distinctive storytelling that subverts expectations.

Safe

Rated R for good reason. Contains graphic self-mutilation (a character cuts off his own fingers, shown on screen multiple times), animal death (a beloved donkey is killed in an act of revenge), brief full-frontal male nudity, pervasive strong language, and a suicide. Multiple parents on Reddit and Common Sense Media describe it as disturbing and grotesque. This is absolutely not content a child should stumble upon unexpectedly.

Enriching

For mature viewers, this is rich material. It grapples with loneliness, the search for meaning, the tension between kindness and artistic ambition, and the small cruelties that compound into tragedy. The performances (Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson) are exceptional, the writing is literate and layered. It won't leave you feeling good, but it will leave you thinking. Critics loved it (96% RT, 87 Metacritic). Just not for kids or teens.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Exceptional performances from Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson—genuinely masterful acting
Sharp, darkly comic dialogue that explores existential questions about meaning, legacy, and human connection
Original premise and absurdist storytelling that lingers in your mind long after
Gorgeous Irish island cinematography and atmospheric period setting
Critics adored it (96% RT, 87 Metacritic)—this is serious, literary filmmaking

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What to Watch For

Graphic self-harm: a character cuts off his own fingers multiple times, shown on screen in disturbing detail
Animal death: a beloved donkey is killed in an act of revenge—genuinely upsetting
Suicide, full-frontal male nudity, and constant strong language throughout
Relentlessly bleak and depressing tone—this is not a feel-good movie by any measure
Common Sense Media says 15+, but honestly, even that feels young for this content

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think Colm ended the friendship so abruptly? What was he really searching for?"
"The movie explores whether being 'nice' matters if you don't leave a lasting legacy. What do you think?"
"How does loneliness and isolation change people in this film? Could any of this have been avoided?"
"What does the donkey represent, and why is that death such a turning point?"
"Is this a comedy or a tragedy? Can it be both?"

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