Colin Farrell names his favourite movies of all time: “I choke with laughter”
Ireland’s sweetheart Colin Farrell is usually most associated with gritty, often violent films combined with his shining sense of humour. We mostly think of his Guy Ritchie associations or his heartbreaking and real portrayal of Pádraic in The Banshees of Inisherin, but it seems that Farrell was, and still is, inspired by some interesting and perhaps unlikely films.
Like many who were kids in the 1980s (and beyond, for that matter), Farrell has an affinity with a certain Steven Spielberg film involving a bike and a friendly alien. He told Letterboxd: “The first memory I have of ever seeing a film in the cinema was E.T., which I still love.” It’s good to know that such an icon is just as human as the rest of us.
Perhaps more suited to his persona, Farrell continues: “Withnail and I would be maybe my favourite film of all time and something that I just, 30 viewings in, I choke with laughter.” For those who aren’t familiar with it, this British black comedy follows two ‘resting’ (unemployed and unemployable) actors, Withnail and Marwood.
Fed up with damp, cold piles of washing up, mad drug dealers and psychotic Irishmen decide to leave their squalid Camden flat for an idyllic holiday in the countryside, courtesy of Withnail’s uncle Monty’s country cottage. But when they get there, it rains non-stop, there’s no food, and their basic survival skills turn out to be somewhat limited. Matters are not helped by the arrival of Uncle Monty, who shows an uncomfortably keen interest in Marwood. If there ever was a remake, surely Farrell would have to take a starring role.
Farrell goes on to say: “And then Paris, Texas.” Although this choice wouldn’t be out of place in the list of any university student trying to seem edgy, the fact that Farrell chose the Wim Wenders film makes it instantly cool again. The story of lost memory, repaired (and irreparable) relationships and identity is characteristic of Farrell’s general sense of complexity, and it’s pretty easy to understand why it makes his list of favourite films.
In adulthood, ‘kids’ films often become some of our favourites, whether through nostalgia or seeing modern films for children when we become parents – enter: Shrek – and it seems Farrell is no different. In a loving admission, he says: “I only saw recently Spirited Away. My son, he’s the one that said, you know – he couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen it, and I just thought it was extraordinary.”
We’ve always suspected that Colin Farrell had good taste in films, but now he’s proven it. As an added extra, too, Farrell asked in his Letterboxd interview: “Can I say Back to the Future?”, and that’s just the cherry on top.
Colin Farrell’s favourite films:
- E.T. (Steven Spielberg, 1982)
- Withnail and I (Bruce Robinson, 1987)
- Paris, Texas (Wim Wenders, 1984)
- Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki, 2001)
- Back to the Future (Robert Zemeckis, 1985)
