With Martin McDonagh's fourth film, The Banshees Of Inisherin, releasing on October 28th, audiences will finally get to see another collaboration between McDonagh and Colin Farrell. Reuniting Farrell with In Bruges co-star, Brendan Gleeson, the movie follows two friends who find themselves at an ime when one of them suddenly decides to end the friendship. This decision, while seemingly minor, ends up having dangerous consequences for them both.
With a stellar ing cast, including Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon, The Banshees Of Inisherin is set to be a fantastic movie, but which Colin Farrell movies should fans watch in preparation?
Horrible Bosses (2011)
Boasting a cast of big-name talent, Horrible Bosses is a raunchy comedy. As the title suggests, the movie follows a series of "horrible" bosses and their scorned employees, who decide to do the only thing they see fit: murder them.
Colin Farrell stars as one of the titular bosses, and it's one of many roles where he dons an awful haircut, making for a memorable character. With a slew of shocking scenes and shocking laugh-out-loud moments, it's a great watch.
Phone Booth (2002)
A nail-biter of a thriller, Phone Booth takes a premise, sets it (mostly) in a single location, and ratchets up the tension. The movie follows Stu Shepherd, a publicist who finds himself trapped in a phone booth and held at gunpoint. A sadistic game of cat and mouse ensues.
Colin Farrell stars as Stu, and he does an amazing job making the audience feel for his character, in spite of the fact that he is not a good person. Even though he's confined to a space that is bound to induce claustrophobia, Farrell still finds ways to make the setting interesting -- a testament to his skills as an actor.
After Yang (2022)
After Yang is directed by Kogonada, and it's one of 2022's best sci-fi movies. It takes place in a not-too-distant future and follows a family who is confronted by questions of love, connection, and loss when an A.I. helper breaks down.
Farrell stars as Jake, the patriarch of the family, and delivers a phenomenally subdued performance, fitting to the low-key sci-fi world of After Yang. Despite the slow-burn pacing of the story, Farrell manages to keep things moving along nicely, and his dynamic with co-star Jodie Turner-Smith is fascinating.
The New World (2005)
Directed by the iconoclastic Terrence Malick, The New World is an epic period piece set during the English Exploration of Virginia. The movie follows a group of explorers as they "discover" new territories while including a lot of liberties when it comes to historical accuracy and the life of Pocahontas.
Farrell stars as Captain Smith and delivers a confident lead performance among a cast of veterans, including Christian Plummer and Christian Bale. While Malick's movies have a hazy quality to them, Farrell keeps the piece focused. With a sweeping visual style and jaw-dropping vistas, when ignoring its problematic approach, The New World is an all-consuming cinematic experience.
Minority Report (2002)
An underrated classic from Steven Spielberg, Minority Report is a dystopian and (somewhat) prophetic dissection of law and order. The movie is set in a future where crimes can be predicted, and so a 'Pre-Crime' agent (Tom Cruise) must go on the run when told he will commit murder.
Farrell appears as Danny Witwer, the lead agent tasked with capturing Tom Cruise's John Anderton, and their game of cat-and-mouse makes for addictive viewing. Minority Report is a beautiful sci-fi picture, packed with thrilling action scenes and a bleak but unique depiction of the future, influenced by the likes of Orwell and Huxley.
The Lobster (2015)
Yorgos Lanthimos' The Lobster is a truly original piece of movie making and shows Farrell's dedication to movies as art. The movie is set in a dystopian future, where adults are given 45 days to find a romantic partner, or else they're transformed into an animal.
A brilliantly surreal movie, The Lobster is a biting satire about the societal pressures placed upon us all, especially the need to form romantic attachments. Farrell's deadpan delivery in the starring role is just perfection, and it led to a second collaboration with the director. While it's probably not for everyone, it's a must-watch for cinephiles.
The Batman (2022)
Starring Robert Pattinson as Batman, The Batman is one of the greatest superhero movies in recent years. The movie follows a fledgling Batman, only just making a name for himself, as he comes up against his greatest challenge yet: The Riddler.
Farrell appears as The Penguin, in a somewhat brief but insanely memorable performance. He is positively unrecognizable underneath a fat suit and a huge amount of makeup, but he is still able to convey the sleazy vibes of The Penguin, particularly through his facial expressions. He even waddles, making for a laugh-out-loud moment.
Seven Psychopaths (2012)
Farrell's second collaboration with Martin McDonagh, Seven Psychopaths is a pitch-black comedy about, well, seven psychopaths. The movie follows a struggling screenwriter who finds himself thrust into the criminal underworld of L.A. after his friend nicks a gangster's Shih Tzu.
With a ridiculous premise and a ridiculous cast, Farrell is the somewhat normal center of the movie. His character, thrown into the deep end in a world he doesn't understand, can barely handle what comes his way, and it makes for hilarious viewing. Any writers are bound to relate to the character's frustrations.
The Killing Of A Sacred Deer (2017)
The aforementioned second collaboration between Farrell and Lanthimos, The Killing Of A Sacred Deer is genuinely terrifying. The movie follows a heart surgeon responsible for the death of a patient, and his relationship with the patient's son, a boy who isn't what he seems.
Farrell, again, brings a disquieting energy to the role, never quite human, but it's hard to say how exactly. His dynamic with his family is strange and unnatural, and his relationship with the patient's son is absolutely fascinating. The movie is unsettling all the way through, but the climax is one of the scariest sequences in cinema history.
In Bruges (2008)
The first project for Farrell and McDonagh, In Bruges is a very sweary and very Irish dark comedy, and it's far more complex than it has any right to be. The movie follows two hitmen, Ray and Ken, as they await instructions in Bruges from their boss, Harry.
Farrell stars as Ray, and his performance is absolutely flawless. Full of guilt from a mission gone awry, he's a wounded man who rejects the beauty of Bruges because he's so down on himself. It's arguably his finest performance, and the movie, with its sidesplitting comedy and profound ruminations on life and death, may well be his finest, too.
