Best Supporting Actor 2022: Barry Keoghan in The Banshees of Inisherin

Barry Keoghan received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Dominic Kearney in The Banshees of Inisherin. 

Following Brendan Gleeson to every nomination with just about every precursor was up-and-coming Irish actor Barry Keoghan, who is quickly making a name for himself in a very short amount of time. Barry Keoghan plays the smaller of the two supporting roles, though the flashier in terms of performance. Keoghan plays theoretically within the Irish locale trope of the "village idiot" though even as such alone, though consistent with much of the film this falls within people dealing with mental issues in a time when the vocabulary for such things was limited, and particularly absent for those on such a rural and isolated island as is Inisherin. And as usual for Keoghan, he very much gives a "take or leave" performance in many respects. Going very much for a particular and often unique characterization that one can either accept or severely disregard. This particular idea I think might in part be whether one likes this film or loves it, not that Keoghan makes or breaks the film, rather he is one of the key "side bits" that is working around what is going on between the central conflict of Pádraic and his old friend Colm, who won't talk to the former anymore. 

Keoghan's performance is very intense in his particular mannerisms which makes Dominic who he is. He has an innate awkwardness in his manner, usually shyly looking away from most, speaking with a difficult blend between speaking both too openly yet also too hesitantly at the same time. It is a curiously broken delivery that Keoghan consistently delivers as the way simply that is that Dominic speaks. Keoghan presents Dominic as someone who in a way ill-fitting to this place because he himself is not allowed to be fit by anyone or anything. He in turn can't quite manage himself in any particular space and his performance brings to it this sloppy energy of someone who is always both extremely self-conscious and extremely unaware of himself at the same time. It is a fascinating blend that for me, Keoghan pulls off incredibly well by showing the way the world is so innately cruel to the state Dominic. Because he is someone who in a way wants to just be himself, yet being himself only gets him into trouble, so in turn he is in this constant conflict with himself of someone who is being himself while at the same time seemingly constantly reminding himself not to be himself at the same. In turn, everything Keoghan makes is a young man, who is a bit of a mess due to this unfortunate state. 

Keoghan's performance and Martin McDonagh's writing I would argue do not depict him as someone who has mental retardation in terms of basic intelligence. Although Dominic isn't always saying the most intelligent things they are no less foolish than what is stated by many of the "normal" intelligent people who speak in Inisherin. Dominic though is emotionally stunted due to the verbal, physical, and sexual abuse of his father towards him. Everything in Keoghan's performance is of someone who simply was not allowed to develop properly in order to be able to react to ideas of physical attraction or any natural human interaction of the sort. Take even his interest in women, which is funny, but also does speak to the same cruelty he suffered. Keoghan's delivery again is with speaking first before thinking, however, Keoghan even delivers this in a way in which he lacks the right composure or confidence to know how to approach the idea. Keoghan's performance shows that Dominic is fundamentally broken in this respect and has no idea whatsoever in which to approach this type of conversation. Therefore to those, particularly on the island, he is of course just a fool to them who can't watch his words properly or act properly. When Dominic asks Pádraic about his sister, Siobhan, naked, or worse when he attempts to ask her himself if she was ever wild. Keoghan delivers it with all the eagerness of genuine interest, however, funneled through a completely shattered idea of the way one should approach any of this. Keoghan freely speaks as someone just trying to sound out what he thinks should work. That being when Siobhan calls him on it, Keoghan's expression is that almost of someone completely lost, and again Dominic catching up to himself that he's said the wrong thing. Although the act is theoretically intentional, Keoghan shows that his failure in it is that he truly doesn't know any better because of his fundamentally and unfortunately broken state. 

Contrasting that actually is Dominic speaking outside of female matters, where while to describe Keoghan's presentation as overly intelligent would be inaccurate, there is a greater sense of insight in other respects. And Keoghan presents someone who straightforwardly wants companionship himself. That includes just being friends with Pádraic, where I love Keoghan's sincerity in the moment of saying how the two are great chatting together. Keoghan brings this meek joy about as Dominic is just trying to be friends in their interaction as long as it is between each other. His presentation of frustration as Pádraic is stuck on his conflict with Colm is earnest as less dismissing of Colm rather being annoyed that  Pádraic can't appreciate his company alone. And Keoghan emphasizes this further when getting to stay a night with  Pádraic and Siobhan where Keoghan's excitement isn't for false potential sexual favor, but rather just for a lonely man finding some comfort even for even one night. And again outside of the sexual, Keoghan still remains firm in Dominic not at all being a fool. I love his final conversation with Pádraic, where again Keoghan is so open in the conversation and just is trying to support Pádraic as much as he can, even in the moment of articulation Dominic finds this insight as he can. When the conversation reveals Pádraic breaking his nice streak by lying to a man about death, Keoghan's face shows the real thought process and a real sense of running into this unpleasantness that is straightforward but reveals an inherent kindness so poignantly. His head shakes even has so much weight within it because Keoghan isn't of some small dismissiveness rather it is a shattering of hope almost as a man he thought was good could be suddenly capable of bad. And in a way, I think Keoghan conveys that moment as meaningful for deciding his fate as his final scene, where he pledges his love to Siobhan. And what Keoghan does in this scene is shown that for all his broken state is Dominic putting on his "A-game", though also as basically a last-ditch effort for his own hope in his life. Keoghan is exuding in desperation every moment, as he comes in so strong, so cheerfully at first as Keoghan rushes through his attempt to create a connection with her in their mutual ill feelings towards the local Banshee. Keoghan's voice begins to crack, hesitate and stumble more. Keoghan in every word showing Dominic trying, and sadly failing to break through his own awkwardness. His reactions though putting an attempted smile, while his eyes speaking towards someone who has lost all hope. While this is a performance I can understand if it doesn't work for someone, it absolutely did for me, every second of it.