The Guard poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Rory Keenan, Liam Cunningham, David Wilmot ... see more see more... , Mark Strong , Fionnula Flanagan , Dominique McElligott , Sarah Greene , Wale Ojo , Katarina Cas , Ronan Collins , Conor Moloney , Laura Hitchings , Declan Mannion , Sharon Kearney , David Pearse , Laurence Kinlan , Michael Og Lane , Owen Sharpe , Eamonn Olwill , Yuyang Shields , Mark O'Halloran , Pat Shortt , Gay McKeon , Gary Lydon , Mary Corcoran , Darren Healy , Colm Gannon , Johnny McDonagh , Dominick Hewitt , Giedrius Nagys , Dermot Healy , Gary Robinson , Paraic Nialand , John Patrick Beirne , Liam O'Conghaile , Christopher Kilmartin

The Guard is a comedic fish-out-of-water tale of murder, blackmail, drug trafficking and rural police corruption. Two policemen must join forces to take on an international drug- smuggling gang - one,... read more read more... an unorthodox Irish policeman and the other, a straitlaced FBI agent. Sergeant Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleason) is an eccentric small-town cop with a confrontational and crass personality and a subversive sense of humor. A longtime policeman in County Galway, Boyle is a maverick with his own moral code. He has seen enough of the world to know there isn't much to it and has had plenty of time to think about it. When a fellow police officer disappears and Boyle's small town becomes key to a large drug trafficking investigation, he is forced to at least feign interest when dealing with the humorless FBI agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle) assigned to the case. -- (C) Sony Pictures

Flixster Users

81% liked it

22,733 ratings

Critics

95% liked it

121 critics

R, 1 hr. 36 min.

Directed by: John Michael McDonagh

Release Date: July 29, 2011

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: January 3, 2012

Get It:

Stats: 2,050 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

The Guard Gerry Boyle
Upload a Photo | View All The Guard Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (2,050)

  • paulsandberg
    January 9, 2013
    paulsandberg
    As my many Irish friends will attest, (and be the first to tell you), there's a certain something about the culture - a knowing cynicism wrapped up in a heart as big as the world... a poet's soul wrapped inside the brash exterior. This holds true for this beauty of a film as wel... read morel.

    Writer/director John McDonagh someone to watch after his equally well toned In Bruges, does an Irish Tarantino here with lovely, hilarious dialog and a dark humorous tone, while still showing us a character that you can't help but love, warts and all. In fact, it's these warts that make him all the more human, and in the personage of Brendan Gleason, the character of "the guard" comes off as a big loveable bear.

    Opposite this world wise, wise cracking Irish officer is Don Cheadle as an FBI officer who shows up in Ireland following the case of a drug ring and must put up with the antics of Gleason. This oil and water mixture has its comic moments as well - and if we're talking witty send ups, one could argue that McDonagh is not only lampooning buddy films, but the entire premise has echoes of the dynamic of "In The Heat of The Night".

    The comedy is often crass, and occasionally acid tongued, but in this instance it all seems natural and not for any cheap laugh. For an example, after a romp with a couple of call girls (dressed up in guard uniform), Gleason starts having an itch down there. When one of the villains asks him about the discomfort, Gleason tell the man that he perhaps had a tad too much fun with the lasses from Dublin. The villain replies "Dublin, well then ye got what ye deserve". The beauty of this scene also comes from the fact that there seems plenty of time to talk, and yet it all seems so natural that a villain would ask these type of questions while holding Gleason at gunpoint.

    In a nutshell, the tone of the film is perfect and true to itself, and once again, a scene from the film personifies not only Gleason's character but the wink in the eye nature of the film itself. At one point Cheadle looks at Gleason and says "I don't know if you are totally brilliant or a total idiot"... Gleason turns and gives the perfect smile - truth, sarcasm and mystery all rolled into one.
  • Callahan441
    January 4, 2013
    Callahan441
    Like many others would have done, I bought this film after seeing Martin McDonagh's 'In Bruges', meaning that naturally I would be comparing the two throughout. Unfortunately for John McDonagh, Martin's elder brother, 'The Guard' didn't fare well. In fact, it lacks everything tha... read moret made 'In Bruges' so excellent; it lacks the pathos, the taut script, the characters and crucially, it completely lacks the humour.

    Leading the cast are Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle as two very clichà (C)d stock characters. Gleeson is the foul-mouthed, maverick guard whilst Cheadle is the officious, straight-laced F.B.I agent â" yes I know, how very boring. However, not only is this construct completely trite, it's also very poorly executed. It follows the usual buddy cop formula in a wholly unconvincing way, you don't believe in their relationship at all. The rest of the characters are also completely hollow, unremarkable and never even slightly funny.

    I chuckled slightly only a few times, however they were contrived chuckles of desperation rather than genuine outbursts of laughter. I like dark, politically incorrect humour; however it's all rather unsophisticated and adolescent here. This is in stark contrast with 'In Bruges', which continues to make me laugh on every viewing.

    The script is messy, dull and consequently rather hard to follow. The film sets up its premise, then a bunch of stuff happens, and then there is a bloody, almost slapstick denouement full of bad sound effects and comedic injuries which are just silly rather than funny.

    Not only is this film massively inferior to 'In Bruges', it's also a sorry instalment in the buddy-cop genre which, along with a slew of other turds, helps strip '48-Hrs.' and 'Lethal Weapon' of their originality.
  • garyX
    October 17, 2012
    garyX
    An FBI agent teams up with a small town Irish policeman to investigate drug traffickers operating out of rural Ireland in this amusing fish out of water buddy cop comedy from the brother of Martin McDonagh who wrote and directed In Bruges. The approach and humour is very similar ... read moreto his sibling's film, Brendan Gleeson exhibiting the same kind of self deprecating and cynical pragmatism that is common to the Irish mentality. As a thriller, the plot is rather simplistic but it is done with a knowing wit that deconstructs the typical Hollywood action film in a way that's like Guy Ritchie meets Father Ted. Very funny stuff and if you liked In Bruges, you're sure to like this too.
  • itsjustme2004
    September 3, 2012
    itsjustme2004
    A slow as a snail's pace movie about a bigoted old Irish cop in backwater Galway, Ireland, and his culture clash with American FBI agent Don Cheadle. Another tired cop buddy movie plot. I could hardly understand what Gleeson was saying most of the time, and needed subtitles. Don ... read moreCheadle was ok, I guess. He was the main redeeming quality for me to even keep watching. A mediocre droll Irish comedy, for sure...
  • katykern8261
    June 7, 2012
    katykern8261
    Directed (and written) by John Michael McDonagh, Reprisal Films 2011. Starring Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Mark Stong and Fionnula Flanagan.

    Genre: Comedy, Thriller

    Question: Is there a certain nationality that you feel a kinship with? Maybe it is an American thing that I... read more have a need to ask that or share with you mine, but I feel a strong connection to my Irish heritage. So when I saw the preview a couple of months ago for the Irish indie film The Guard (and even posted the preview on my blog) I knew I had to see it. It finally came out last week.


    I walked into the same theatre where I was SUPPOSED to see Another Earth earlier this week. I will admit I was a little nervous, and if you read my blog recently, you'll know why I felt that way when I arrived there this morning. Anyway, Another Earth was already gone. Darn! But The Guard was another film I was happy to see still in at the same cineplex. I decided not to press my luck and sit in the same seat as last time so I chose a different row. (What? Ok, I might be a little superstitious - maybe that's an Irish thing.) The movie began and I slowly started to relax.

    Now I am not sure how I can desribe this movie because it's not like many I have seen before. It states above that it is a comedy and a thriller. Sure, I would say that but both genres were there but so subtly written that it is really hard to say that The Guard was a flat-out comedy or an unbelievable thriller. I would say it was more of a black comedy and not "A Raucous Comedy!" as it states on the movie poster behind me. However, the thriller part is something you might not get until the end which is why I really enjoyed this film.

    The story is about a small town in Ireland where there is a confrontational and unorthodox Irish policeman (guard) trying to solve a murder. The FBI comes in to help with the situation and up the ante with the murder with a huge drug deal possibly surrounding the murder. You know, somehow they are...connected!

    Brendan Gleeson plays the main guard and I bet you know who he is just by the list a few of the films he has been in: 28 Days Later, Braveheart, Cold Mountain, Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire (he is Mad-Eye Moody). Anyway, I have always enjoyed his performances but he is hardly the lead role so this was a nice change. And what a character he played. He's a single man, a cop but likes to ignore the law on a few things, etc.. He even uses the favorite curse word that the Irish seem to enjoy a lot (you know which one, right?....oh for f*&#'s sake - it should be obvious), but when he talks to his mother or a woman he is sweet, gentle and kind.

    Now here's a hint at the thriller part of The Guard - or at least that is how I saw it....he was sarcastic - my favorite - but most of time you don't know if he is being sarcastic or not. I had a smile on my face throughout this entire movie because of his character and even a few soft chuckles. Brendan Gleeson is the main reason I enjoyed this film.

    Don Cheadle plays the FBI agent sent over to join the investigation and is taken aback with the guard's crass and racist slurs, but he soon realized that he likes him as they work together to solve the crimes. He puts it perfectly when he calls him an unconventional police officer. It was an interesting pairing to see the American federal agent and the small town police officer hunt down the drug smugglers - especially at the end of the film.

    There are a couple of others things to mention about The Guard. The criminals, or the drug smugglers, were an interesting trio that when together would go off on odd topics like philosophy. I wish I could remember some of the dialogue but I do recall giggling during their scenes especially when Mark Strong's character would communicate. He had some of the best dialogue.

    With all that was in The Guard I think the ending might be why I liked it even more. You will just have to see what I am talking about because I am not going to tell you. Slainte!

    My favorite part: The quick Irish wit - that really does put a smile on my face.

    My least favorite part: That I wasn't having a pint of Guinness while watching the film but it was only 10am.

    Rating: R
    Length: 96 minutes

    Review: 8 out of 10
  • MrMarakai
    May 23, 2012
    MrMarakai
    There's something that seems to run through the family of the McDonagh's; Martin made an impressive debut with the lively, comedy crime drama "In Bruges" in 2008. Now his sibling Jonathan does the same with this. Combining genres can so easily go wrong but both the McDonagh's see... read morem to be rather good at it.
    In Galway, the west coast of Ireland a seemingly random murder occurs. Sgt. Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleeson) investigates and soon believes it to be part of a drug-smuggling ring. The case becomes so important that the FBI get involved and send over agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle) to mount a large scale operation in bringing the drug ring down. The two law enforcers don't exactly see eye-to-eye and have completely different approaches to their professions but manage to find common ground in working together.
    As we are introduced to the character of Sgt. Gerry Boyle, he's just come across a crime scene. He searches through the pockets of a deceased young man and helps himself to a tab of LSD. Within minutes this towering character and his unconventional methods are established. It takes a good actor to pull this off and Gleeson is more than up to the task. It's his solid performance that's at the centre of this off-beat and cynical comedy. Gleeson has become ubiquitous of late, appearing in film's internationally and having already worked with the likes of Steven Spielberg ("A.I. Artificial Intelligence") and Martin Scorsese ("Gangs Of New York"). He has worked with these directors for good reason, as he can seemingly turn his hand to any role. He's not alone here though, fine support is delivered by the always reliable Don Cheadle, who's not afraid to take a step back and allow Gleeson to shine and as the three dangerous, drug-running killers, Liam Cunningham, David Wilmot and Mark Strong are given small but memorable roles. It's fun to listen to them discuss philosophy before cold-bloodedly despatching of innocent people. It's the balance of danger and humour that keeps director McDonagh's film fresh and able to play with the usual genre conventions. The laughs are genuine and never forced and the sharp Irish humour that courses through it is hilarious. Toward the end, it threatens to succumb to cliche but still has enough up it's sleeve to leave you contented.
    The mismatched buddy-cop movie has been done many times before but this still manages to find some mileage in it. That's thanks to it's balanced approach and contemptuous brand of humour.
  • hobster1
    May 9, 2012
    hobster1
    Dark comedy from Ireland about a vulgar Irish cop and an uptight FBI agent who form an unlikely pair while investigating a drug-smuggling ring. Predictably the humor comes from the interactions of the mismatched combo. Actor Brendan Gleeson is probably best known as Alastor "Mad ... read moreEye" Moody, the one eyed wizard in the Harry Potter films. Here he gets a rare opportunity to be the star as an unorthodox policeman. It's nice to see Gleeson get a chance to shine in his own film . Sergeant Gerry Boyle is sort of an Archie Bunker for the new millennium. "I'm Irish. Racism is part of my culture," he offers. Don Cheadle is an investigator named Everett who is the straight man to Gleeson's unpolitically correct character. A lot of the amusement is based on the culture clash between a strait-laced black American detective and an irreverent white Irish policeman. The set up is so obvious that the quips need to be creative. But the jokes don't really go far enough. "You're thinking, these men are armed and dangerous, and you being an FBI agent you're more used to shooting at unarmed women and children" - a typical insult. If put downs like that are your idea of the ultimate dis then you might find this entertaining. I found the one-liners to be mildly acerbic, but not especially funny.
  • xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    May 1, 2012
    xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    A Raucous Comedy

    Good movie. I expected more but that usually happens when you expect something out of a movie and not all comes true. If you are a fan of In Bruges, Snatch, or Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, I think you will enjoy this one. It falls just short of that level... read more, but not by much. Gleeson is outstanding and the story is simple enough, yet with plenty of twist, turns and hilarity. The film has lots of oddly humorous moments. None of them are laugh out loud moments but the film has quite a few clever moments--as well as many strange ones. The sum effect is an odd and uneven film but there's enough good to make it worth the while.

    Sergeant Gerry Boyle is a small-town Irish cop with a confrontational personality, a subversive sense of humor, a dying mother, a fondness for prostitutes, and absolutely no interest whatsoever in the international cocaine-smuggling ring that has brought straight-laced FBI agent Wendell Everett to his door.
  • LWOODS04
    April 21, 2012
    LWOODS04
    Cast: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, David Wilmot, Rory Keenan, Mark Strong, Fionnula Flanagan, Dominique McElligott, Sarah Greene


    Director: John Michael McDonagh

    Summary: When tightly wound FBI agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle) invades an Irish village in p... read moreursuit of international drug dealers, wisecracking local copper Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleeson) does his best to annoy the American and get on with his circumscribed life. But soon there's a murder, and Boyle finds himself swept up in detective work way beyond his pay grade. John Michael McDonagh directs this action-filled comedy.

    My Thoughts: "What a great film. Smart, funny, great characters, and best of all, great performances by Don Cheadle and especially by Brendan Gleeson. I absolutely loved this movie. Who would have ever guessed the random match of Gleeson and Cheadle would turn out so brilliantly? Best match up I've seen in a long time in a movie. Gleeson's character is rude, inappropriate, offensive, and brilliant. I love his character as Sergeant Gerry Boyle. One of the best films I have seen so far this year. Those who enjoy dark humor comedies and a good laugh, like myself will really enjoy this film."
  • fb1672039553
    April 20, 2012
    fb1672039553
    A richly Irish "Fargo" in spirit - the character roles, the dark humor and the quality of dialogue - The Guard was both cathartic and fun for the Irishman dwelling in me.

View All The Guard Reviews

Critic Reviews

Liam Lacey
August 26, 2011
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

Although The Guard is primarily a language romp, it's also a terrific showcase for veteran pug-faced character actor Brendan Gleeson. Full Review

Peter Howell
August 26, 2011
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

Brendan Gleeson is a blooming marvel. Full Review

Amy Biancolli
August 19, 2011
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

Crisp, acid-tongued and sharply acted, it's the sort of exercise in tangy Celtic cynicism that's become one of the Emerald Isle's most reliable imports. Full Review

Tom Long
August 19, 2011
Tom Long, Detroit News

There are few things finer in cinema than Brendan Gleeson's fat, happy face. Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
August 19, 2011
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

McDonagh's script is agile, darting between the ridiculous, the sage and the surprisingly sentimental. His love of language and the absurd has hints of the wisecracking Quentin Tarantino. But the stor... Full Review

Bill Goodykoontz
August 18, 2011
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

"The Guard" is not the most original buddy-cop movie you'll see, but it well may be one of the most entertaining. Full Review

Tom Huddleston
August 17, 2011
Tom Huddleston, Time Out

A hugely entertaining but frustratingly disorganised film, packed with priceless moments which never quite coalesce into a rewarding whole. Full Review

Ann Hornaday
August 12, 2011
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

"The Guard" himself may be no angel, but his movie is a wee slice of heaven. Full Review

John Hartl
August 11, 2011
John Hartl, Seattle Times

Like an Irish version of "In the Heat of the Night," the profane and frequently hilarious "The Guard" watches the sparks fly as a smart African-American detective teams up with an unapologetically rac... Full Review

Steven Rea
August 11, 2011
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Rich with inspired musings on pop culture, literature, philosophy, race, sex. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Love, Honour And Obey
    Love, Honour And Obey (100%)
  • Intermission
    Intermission (100%)
  • The Quiet Man
    The Quiet Man (0%)
  • Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
    Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (67%)

More Movies like The Guard

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • FBI agent Wendell Everett: You went to Disney World by yourself?
    • Sergeant Gerry Boyle: Yeah, great gas it was! Had me picture taken with Goofy and everything. He's my favourite, Goofy!
    • FBI agent Wendell Everett: You know I can't tell if you're really motherfuckin' dumb or really motherfuckin' smart.
    • Francis Sheehy: Let's get the fook outta here Clive!
    • Clive Cornell: Kidding me? This is better than fucking Christmas!
    • Sergeant Gerry Boyle: Now I know what you w'er tinkin'... yer tinkin' those men are armed and dangerous... an' you, bein' an FBI Agent are more used to shooting unarmed women n' children.
    • FBI agent Wendell Everett: The fuck?!
    • Clive Cornell: Where the fuck did you find those men?
    • Francis Sheehy: Uuuh... I put n' ad. in the paper sayin' 'Henchmen Wanted'.
    • Sergeant Gerry Boyle: What a beautiful fuckin' day!
    • Sergeant Gerry Boyle: I'm Irish, sir. Racism is part of my culture.
Submit a Fact | View All

The Guard : Watch Free on TV

The Guard Trivia

  • One tagline for this film read, "Never let her out of your sight. Never let your guard down. Never fall in love."  Answer »
  • In what movie did Ashton Kutcher train to be a coast guard?  Answer »
  • What was the prayer in Cradle 2 the Grave that DMX and his daughter recited?  Answer »
  • Who played the young coast guard with an attitude in "The Guardian"?  Answer »
More The Guard Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for The Guard. Want to create one?

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All The Guard Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add The Guard to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?