On Breaking Off Friendships & The Banshees of Inisherin
Approximately 4 months ago, I came across this trailer for the movie named The Banshees of Inisherin starring Colin Farrell & Brendon Gleeson. Apart from the pair being from one of my favorite films In Bruges the trailer also had the weirdest and completely unseen plot - a person no longer wanting to be friends with someone. For no reason, apparently.
While the film released on OTT for us in India this week, and I watched it as soon as I could. It was nothing but a treat. I guess if I were to describe the plot it would simply go something like
A friend waking up one day deciding not to be friends with someone who has been buddies with for the longest time. People around them are equally confused to why someone would act like this, but as the friend not wanting to be friends anymore puts it - he wants to work on something that is relevant for centuries to come & that's music for him. What follows is how Colin Farrell's character trying to make sense of all of it & working on getting his friend back. While Gleeson gives one ultimatum after another.
How does one break off a friendship?
Ok, now to the real question - how does one really break of friendships?
It is a bit strange how the concept of break up is there, irrespective of how messy it is, exists for relationships that may or may not be as deep as friendship. But only way friendships die is by ghosting or making the other person hate you more till they ghost you (polite) or just stop being up close & personal.
The concept of breaking up with friends is so weird, is exactly what I loved about the movie, this is not normal. Yet I feel we should be normalizing it, putting closure to friendships instead of just hanging out for them to dry.
While I am guilty of not being in contact with friends from my past (schools, college) I could never put a finger on what it is that made me not want to be friends with those who I spent a considerable amount of my life with. And the sad thing is - I know I am going to do this again - not be friends with most people I am right now. Perhaps this time, I'll be upfront.
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