THE GUARD (2011)

 

Written & Directed By: John Michael Mcdonagh Cinematography: Larry Smith  Editor: Chris Gill

Cast: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Mark Strong, Rory Keenan, Liam Cunningham, Fionnula Flanagan 

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.

This is a film that frankly the audience might be starved for a dialogue-driven character-driven dark comedic buddy cop film. Mismatched partners where one is by the book the other is dirty but with a set of rules all his own. Even as most of the cops he works with are dirty and he is guilty of it himself.

Don Cheadle is perfect as the midwestern FBI agent brought into this foreign small town. Essentially playing the straight man. A fish out of water. He has a quiet dignity as a gentleman and straight arrow. Who can still kick ass if he has to.

Brendan Gleeson epitomizes the word star in this movie after years as a great character actor in such gems as GANGS OF NEW YORK he occasionally gets the lead role like in the magnificent THE GENERAL (he seems to star in movies with rank and job titles) which is the first film I noticed him in where he was phenomenal. Here he makes his acting look effortless; he fully inhabits the character. Luckily he has someone skilled to play off of.

The film is filled with quirky characters and situations like the villains who frankly are smarter than everyone around them and more dangerous.

The film treats violence like a normal everyday occurrence yet the film is not brutal.

Everyone in the cast is an essential part of the story. Praise should be given to all of them from Actress Finola Flannigan who should definitely be getting more work. She puts so much heart into all of her roles.

The film has a laid-back pace but pulls you in with excitement. As you can’t wait for the next scene or next line of dialogue. As you never know what’s going to happen.

You have philosophical drug smugglers, country-western IRA agents, dirty cops that make out morally questionable heroes look clean. As he only really starts to participate in trying to bust and break up this drug ring because he's tried and true deputy is killed. Besides that he pretty much makes no waves and has a standing appointment with his escorts weekly. With his bulldog glare yet puppy dog eyes he’s a Brute but a gentle one.

If you like the film IN BRUGES you will like this. It was fast-paced and action-oriented (which seems more a second thought here) but with a similar mood and style, with good reason. As the writer/director of this film is the brother of writer/director/playwright of IN BRUGES

There are very sympathetic characters in this film yet they find a way into the audience's heart even if it is for you only a scene or two.

Grade: B+