You've probably seen that meme of Colin Farrell looking devastatingly confused. Or maybe you just heard about the "finger incident." Either way, Martin McDonagh’s 2022 masterpiece didn't just sweep awards season—it lodged itself into the collective psyche of anyone who has ever had a friendship go sour. It's awkward. It's bleak. Honestly, it’s one of the best things Disney (via Searchlight) has put out in a decade.
Finding The Banshees of Inisherin where to watch depends mostly on your patience for monthly subscriptions and where you're currently sitting on the globe. It isn't a "new" release anymore, but it's stayed firmly planted in the "must-see" category.
Where to Stream The Banshees of Inisherin Right Now
If you are in the United States, your best bet is Hulu or Disney+. Ever since the big merger of the apps, the lines have blurred, but if you have the bundle, it’s right there. For those in the UK, Ireland, or Canada, it’s a straightforward Disney+ title under the Star banner.
Streaming rights are fickle things. One day a movie is there, the next it’s "expiring soon" because a licensing deal with a cable giant like HBO (Max) or Showtime ended. Currently, Searchlight Pictures is a subsidiary of Disney, so Inisherin has a permanent home on their platforms. It’s unlikely to hop over to Netflix anytime soon. If you don’t do subscriptions, you can still grab it on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, or Vudu for a few bucks. Renting is usually around $3.99, while buying it keeps it in your digital library forever.
Why Everyone Is Still Obsessing Over This Movie
People expected a comedy. They got a tragedy wrapped in wool sweaters and donkey ears. The film reunited Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, who we all loved in In Bruges, but this isn't a buddy cop movie. It’s the opposite. It’s a "we aren't buddies anymore" movie.
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The plot is deceptively simple. Colm (Gleeson) decides one day that he just doesn't like Pádraic (Farrell) anymore. He finds him dull. He wants to spend his remaining years composing music rather than listening to Pádraic talk about what his donkey ate. It’s brutal because there’s no "villain." We’ve all been the person who is bored by a friend, and we’ve definitely all been the person wondering why someone stopped texting us back.
The Inisherin Landscape: It’s Not Actually Real
Wait. Inisherin isn't a real place.
While the movie feels like a documentary of 1920s Irish island life, Inisherin is a fictional creation. It was filmed on Inis Mór and Achill Island. If you ever visit, you’ll recognize the sheer cliffs and the winding stone walls, but the "pub" where most of the drama happens was actually a set built specifically for the film. They tore it down after filming. Heartbreaking, I know. Fans have been trying to find the exact spot ever since, but all that’s left is the grass and the Atlantic wind.
The Technical Brilliance You Might Have Missed
The cinematography by Ben Davis is gorgeous, but it’s the writing that carries the weight. Martin McDonagh is a playwright first. You can feel that in the rhythm of the dialogue. The repetition of phrases—"I'm not putting 'em out, I'm just not putting 'em in"—creates a sort of folk-song cadence.
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Then there’s the Oscar-nominated performance by Barry Keoghan. He plays Dominic, the "local idiot" who turns out to be perhaps the most emotionally intelligent person on the island. His scenes are short, but they gut you. When you’re looking for The Banshees of Inisherin where to watch, keep an eye out for his performance specifically. It’s a masterclass in vulnerability.
Common Misconceptions About the Ending
People argue about the fingers. Without spoiling too much for the three people who haven't seen it: it’s an allegory. The film is set during the Irish Civil War in 1923. You can literally hear the cannons firing on the mainland from the island.
The conflict between the two men mirrors the war. It’s a senseless, self-mutilating fight between people who used to be on the same side. Some viewers find the violence "unrealistic," but when you view it through the lens of a country tearing itself apart over abstract ideals, it makes perfect sense. Colm wants "immortality" through art. Pádraic just wants "niceness." The tragedy is that they destroy both in the process.
How to Get the Best Viewing Experience
Don’t watch this on your phone. Seriously. The scale of the Irish coast needs a big screen.
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- Check your audio settings: The accents are thick. Even native English speakers sometimes struggle with the rapid-fire West Ireland brogue. Turning on subtitles isn't "cheating"—it actually helps you catch the dark humor hidden in the fast dialogue.
- Look for 4K options: If you’re streaming on Disney+ or Apple TV, look for the 4K UHD version. The green of the islands and the texture of those knitted sweaters are worth the extra bandwidth.
- The Score: Carter Burwell’s music is haunting. It’s not traditional Irish folk; it’s more like a dark fairytale. Use good speakers or headphones.
Final Logistics for Viewers
If you’re a physical media nerd, the Blu-ray is still available, though a 4K physical disc is strangely hard to come by in some regions.
The film runs 1 hour and 54 minutes. It’s a tight edit. No fluff. Just pure, agonizing awkwardness.
Next Steps for the Viewer
To get the most out of your screening, verify your current streaming subscriptions. If you're in the US, open your Hulu or Disney+ app and search "Banshees" immediately—licensing deals in 2026 can shift, but as a Searchlight property, it remains a pillar of their library. If you find the accents too challenging, keep the subtitles toggled to "English (CC)" to ensure you don't miss the subtle, biting wit of the script. Once finished, look up the behind-the-scenes footage of Jenny the Donkey; knowing she was the true star of the set makes the emotional climax of the film even more poignant.