The Guard (2011)

Director:

John Michael McDonagh

Writer:

John Michael McDonagh (written by)

Release Date:

7 July 2011 (Ireland)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

The FBI are about to discover that things work a little different around here.

Plot:

An unorthodox Irish policeman with a confrontational personality is teamed up with an uptight FBI agent to investigate an international drug-smuggling ring.

Plot Keywords:

FBI Agent | FBI | Drug Smuggling | Small Town | Derringer

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 14 wins & 23 nominations

Cast

Ronan Collins	...	Young Man in Car
Paraic Nialand	...	Young Man in Car
John Patrick Beirne	...	Young Man in Car
Liam O'Conghaile	...	Young Man in Car
Christopher Kilmartin	...	Young Man in Car
Brendan Gleeson	...	Sergeant Gerry Boyle
Rory Keenan	...	Garda Aidan McBride
Declan Mannlen	...	James McCormick
Laurence Kinlan	...	Photographer
Michael Og Lane	...	Eugene Moloney (as Mícheál Óg Lane)
Liam Cunningham	...	Francis Sheehy-Skeffington
Owen Sharpe	...	Billy Devaney
Fionnula Flanagan	...	Eileen Boyle
Wale Ojo	...	Doctor Oleyuwo
Don Cheadle	...	FBI agent Wendell Everett
Mark O'Halloran	...	Garda No. 1
Gary Lydon	...	Garda Inspector Gerry Stanton
Darren Healy	...	Jimmy Moody
Conor Moloney	...	Detective
Laura Hitchings	...	Female Garda
David Wilmot	...	Liam O'Leary
Mark Strong	...	Clive Cornell
Katarina Cas	...	Gabriela McBride
Sarah Greene	...	Sinead Mulligan
Dominique McElligott	...	Aoife O'Carroll
Sharon Kearney	...	Woman at Bartley's House
David Pearse	...	Bartley
Dermot Healy	...	Old Farmer
Eamonn Olwill	...	Priest
Yuyang Sheilds	...	Diner Waitress
Pat Shortt	...	Colum Hennessey
Gay McKeon	...	Musician
Mary Corcoran	...	Musician
Colm Gannon	...	Musician
Johnny McDonagh	...	Musician
Dominick Hewitt	...	Henchman
Giedrius Nagys	...	Henchman
Gary Robinson	...	Henchman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alan Bates	...	Crossley in The Shout (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
John Michael McDonagh

Writing credits
John Michael McDonagh		(written by)

Produced by
Paul Brett	....	executive producer
Don Cheadle	....	executive producer
Chris Clark	....	producer
Elizabeth Eves	....	associate producer
Flora Fernandez-Marengo	....	producer
Ed Guiney	....	producer
Ralph Kamp	....	executive producer
Andrew Lowe	....	producer
Lee Magiday	....	associate producer
Martin McDonagh	....	executive producer
Paul Myler	....	line producer
David Nash	....	executive producer
Tim Smith	....	executive producer
Lenore Zerman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Calexico

Cinematography by
Larry Smith

Film Editing by
Chris Gill

Casting by
Jina Jay

Production Design by
John Paul Kelly

Art Direction by
Lucy van Lonkhuyzen

Costume Design by
Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh

Makeup Department
Lorraine Brennan	....	assistant hair stylist
Orla Carrol	....	chief hair stylist
Morna Ferguson	....	makeup department head
Niamh O'Loan	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Michelle Brassil	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mike Hayes	....	trainee assistant director
Andrew Hegarty	....	first assistant director
Alex Jones	....	second assistant director
Nicola Long	....	trainee assistant director
Jonathan Shaw	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Eddie Arkins	....	stand-by stagehand
John Arkins	....	stagehand
Thomas Arkins	....	stagehand
Alex Bassett	....	daily construction
Simon Boyd	....	chargehand stand-by props
Gay Byrn	....	props runaround
Temple Clark	....	storyboard artist
Christine Fitzgerald	....	trainee art department
Mick Flood	....	property master (as Michael Flood)
Cathy Hegarty	....	daily buyer assistant
Paul Keogh	....	carpenter
Sarah Kingston	....	prop buyer
Anna Kirwan	....	stand-by art director
Tom Lundy	....	master painter
Tom Lundy	....	stand-by painter
Ed Norton	....	construction manager
Liam O'Riain	....	supervising carpenter
David Oldham	....	carpenter
Irina Pawassar	....	stand-by props
John Porter	....	dressing props
Frank Rizzo	....	poster artist: Hungary
Brendan Stephens	....	painter
Julie Tierney	....	trainee props
Graham Waters	....	standby carpenter

Sound Department
Niall Brady	....	sound designer
Michelle Cunniffe	....	adr mixer
Michelle Cunniffe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom Deane	....	adr recordist
Andrew Douglas	....	assistant sound
Caoimhe Doyle	....	foley artist
Steve Fanagan	....	sound effects editor
Mark Fitzpatrick	....	adr recordist
Robert Flanagan	....	production sound mixer
Ken Galvin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom Johnson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brian Magrum	....	adr recordist
Jean McGrath	....	foley mixer
Paul Naughton	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Aidan Byrne	....	special effects crew
Brendan Byrne	....	special effects coordinator
Paul Byrne	....	pyrotechnician
Michael Kearns	....	special effects crew
Jimmy Lumsden	....	special effects crew
Pat Redmond	....	special effects crew

Visual Effects by
Aled Rhys Jones	....	visual effects artist

Stunts
Dominick Hewitt	....	stunts
Phil Lonergan	....	stunts
Giedrius Nagys	....	stunts
Donal O'Farrell	....	stunt coordinator
Gary Robinson	....	stunt performer
Donal O'Farrell	....	driving double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Binnall	....	camera operator
Pete Cavaciuti	....	steadicam operator
Stephen Doyle	....	daily rigging gaffer
Owen Farrell	....	clapper loader
John Gamble	....	director of photography: second unit
John Gamble	....	first assistant
John Gamble	....	focus puller
Damien Heffernan	....	practical electrician
Jonathan Hession	....	stills photographer
Colm Hogan	....	stills photographer
David Keith	....	daily grip
Frankie Leonard	....	trainee clapper loader
John Marzano	....	aerial dp
James McGuire	....	gaffer
Kelly McLaughlin	....	daily electrician
Darrell Murphy	....	b camera grip
John Murphy	....	daily grip
Ronan Murphy	....	grip
Stephen Murphy	....	steadicam operator
Sean Murray	....	video assist
David O'Connor	....	camera crane operator
John Martin O'Flatharta	....	electrician
Micheal O'Mogáin	....	best boy
Andrew O'Reilly	....	clapper loader: second unit
Robert Palmer	....	daily focus puller
Ingrid Whelan	....	daily electrician

Casting Department
Alex Duxbury	....	casting assistant
Nick McGinley	....	child casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ciara McArdle	....	costume supervisor
Aoife Mcbride	....	costume trainee
Debbie Millington	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Gary Curran	....	digital intermediate colorist
Warren Dowling	....	digital intermediate finishing editor
Jim Duggan	....	post-production supervisor
Alan Freir	....	assistant editor
Nathan Nugent	....	additional editor
Jodie Davidson	....	colorist: dailies (uncredited)

Music Department
Liz Gallacher	....	music supervisor
Kathleen Hasay	....	music supervision assistant
Fen Ikner	....	music recordist
Craig Schumacher	....	music mixer

Transportation Department
Reggie Blain Jr.	....	facilities captain
Willie Cooley	....	facility driver
Padraic Faherty	....	generator driver
Junior Farrell	....	facility driver
Matthew Hennessy	....	action vehicles
John Kavanagh	....	transportation captain
Pat Larkin	....	unit driver
Graham McWilliams	....	driver
Mick Murphy	....	driver
Joe O'Toole	....	driver
Paul Taylor	....	facility driver

Other crew
Sarah Arnott	....	svp production & acquisitions: Metropolis
Lawrence Atkinson	....	unit publicist
Elizabeth Blackledge	....	commercial manager: Aegis Film Fund
Andrew Boucher	....	managing director: Santx
Elaine Burke	....	assistant production coordinator
Yvonne Burke	....	production coordinator
Mark Byrne	....	business & legal executive: Bórd Scannán na hÉireann/Irish Film Board
Clarissa Caleo-Green	....	creative coordinator: BFI
Erin Cancino	....	assistant to Chris Clark
Sally Caplan	....	head of premiere fund: BFI
Isabel Chick	....	production accountant: Prescience
Miriam Coleman	....	assistant location manager
Louise Cornally	....	production finance executive: element pictures
Anders Erden	....	business & legal affairs: Metropolis International Sales Limited
Will Evans	....	head of business affairs: BFI
Ross Flannery	....	production assistant
Lucia Foster Found	....	aerial operations coordinator
Clare Hardwick	....	business affairs manager: Prescience
Clare Hardwick	....	business affairs
Paula Heffernan	....	post production coordinator
Paula Heffernan	....	production coordinator: element pictures
Vince Holden	....	head of production finance: BFI
Frank Hunter	....	marine crew
Gordon Hunter	....	marine crew
Therese Kelly	....	extras coordinator
Clare Kennedy	....	head of administration: Prescience
John Paul LeBon	....	assistant location manager
Fiona McConnell	....	busienss affairs executive: element pictures
John McKenna	....	armourer
Jamie Molloy	....	locations trainee
Fiona Morham	....	head of production: BFI
Des Mulreany	....	marine crew
Darragh Noonan	....	accountant: element pictures
Emma Norton	....	development executive: element pictures
Eugene O'Connor	....	production assistant: element pictures
Ciara O'Donnell	....	extras coordinator
Rossa O'Neill	....	locations trainee
Donal O'Sullivan	....	marine crew
Victoria Owens	....	office manager: element pictures
Simon Perry	....	chief executive: Bórd Scannán na hÉireann/Irish Film Board
Noirin Holland Roy	....	assistant accountant
Alistair Rumball	....	marine coordinator
Arthur Rumball	....	marine crew
Jemma Sands	....	film marketing manager: Prescience
Jemma Sands	....	head of marketing: Metropolis
Emma Scott	....	production executive: Bórd Scannán na hÉireann/Irish Film Board
Jim Shortall	....	production accountant
Graham Smith	....	unit publicist
Andy Stephens	....	aerial operations manager
Mary Martin Sullivan	....	assistant accountant
Michael Swan	....	location manager
Anne Warter	....	extras coordinator
Kathleen Weir	....	script supervisor
Sonja Otto	....	daily locations trainee (uncredited)
Stalkr	....	archive research (uncredited)

Thanks
Noëlette Buckley	....	thanks
Anne V. Coates	....	thanks
Kay Liberman	....	thanks
Jonathan Loughran	....	very special thanks
Neil Richards	....	the director would like to thank
Colin Vaines	....	special thanks
Natascha Wharton	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Reprisal Films
• Element Pictures
• Crescendo Productions
• Aegis Film Fund
• Bord Scannan na hEireann / Irish Film Board
• Irish Film Board (funding)
• Prescience
• UK Film Council

Distributors

• A Contracorriente Films (2012) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Alliance Films (2011) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Element Pictures (2011) (Ireland) (theatrical)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Feelgood Entertainment (2011) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Optimum Releasing (2011) (UK) (theatrical)
• SND (2011) (France) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2011) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2012) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Starway Film Distribution (2011) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (201) (Switzerland) (all media)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2011) (Germany) (all media)
• Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (2011) (Germany) (all media)
• Earth Star Entertainment (2012) (Japan) (DVD)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Film1 (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Shoval Film Production (2011) (Israel) (all media)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2012) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2012) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Zon Audiovisuais (2013) (Portugal) (all media)

Special Effects

• Team FX

Other Companies

• Aer Arann  thanks
• Cutting Edge Group  music services
• Digital Media Services (DMS)  digital asset management
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Eddie Rocket's  thanks
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Flying Pictures  aerial filming services provided by
• G Hotel  thanks
• Galway City Council  thanks
• Galway County Council  thanks
• Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail  thanks
• Kodak  motion picture film supplier
• Locater  catering
• National Atlantaquaria  thanks
• Production Depot  camera equipment provided by
• Resonant Music (1) Limited Partners  soundtrack
• Salthill Hotel  thanks
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Screen Scene  post-production facilities
• Teach Solais  grip and lighting equipment
• Wicklow County Council  thanks
• Wicklow Port Company  thanks
• Wicklow Town Council  thanks
• Wonderbra  thanks
• Údará na Gaeltachta  thanks

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive language, some violence, drug material and sexual content

Runtime:

Germany:96 min

Country:

Ireland

Language:

English | Irish Gaelic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:15A | USA:R | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Germany:16 | Brazil:14 | UK:15 | France:U | Argentina:13 | Ireland:15 (DVD rating) | Singapore:M18 | Italy:T | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Barna, County Galway, Ireland

Company:

Reprisal Films

Trivia:

Boyle's reference that "the FBI lad, probably hadn't had this much fun since they burned all those kids up in Waco" is a reference to the Waco Siege of February 1993 where the FBI led an assault on the Mount Carmel Center ranch seventy-six men, women and children including the sect leader of Branch Davidians, David Koresh, died from flames, smoke inhalation, building collapse, or gunfire.

Goofs:

Continuity: When swimming in the sea Gerry has no gloves and cold red hands. On emerging from the sea to greet Wendell he is wearing wet suit gloves.

Quotes:

Sergeant Gerry Boyle:What are you reading?
Eileen Boyle:Oh.
[Shows Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov]
Sergeant Gerry Boyle:Never got into the Russians. They take too long getting to the fecking point.
Eileen Boyle:Not even Dostoevsky, no?
Sergeant Gerry Boyle:Come on now, he was the main offender.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Maltin on Movies: Contraband (#1.58)" (2012)

Soundtrack:

Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep

Character-driven, raucously thrilling crime comedy

Screenplay writer John Michael McDonagh's directorial debut, "The Guard" (2011) is really a fine movie, relying the least on the originality of its story, describing criminal proceedings of the group of cocaine drug-smugglers and their interaction with local police, set against the backdrop of small-town western Ireland, however, filled with crackling good dialogue, sparkling with wisecracks, accompanied with nice scenery and pleasant, unobtrusive music. But, what makes it the best is its protagonists' performances.

Brendan Gleeson is usually natural, making the character he plays fit like a glove—whether the robust and humorous loyal buddy and the warrior, as in "Braveheart" (1995), or a quiet and subdued aspiring politician, as in "Gangs of New York" (2002), or a non-supportive father, civil war volunteer-turned-deserter, as in "Cold Mountain" (2003), whether the gentle, mentoring, culture-exploring hit man in hiding, as in "In Bruges" (2008), or on the other side of the law, the grouchy police sergeant with defiant, often dissident sense of humour (provocative in one-liners like "being FBI, don't you prefer to fight unarmed women and children…"), as in this movie--and Don Cheadle, in the role of FBI agent Wendell Everett, a bit in the shade of Gleeson's Gerry Boyle, but nevertheless, sufficiently competitive ("Langley is CIA, I'm FBI…"), neat and convincing in his performance as always. (I admit to have a soft spot for this actor since his impressive role of the manager of Kigali Mille Collines hotel in the movie "Hotel Rwanda" (2004), the very same hotel I have been frequenting for two months in 1995, just a year later to tragic events described in the movie.)

To a pretty frequent movie goer like myself, who hasn't seen a single en par (or better?) leading actor in this year that is rapidly advancing towards its end, it is hard to believe that very many better acting performances could be demonstrated in the remaining two months or so. Therefore, if Brendan Gleeson does not find himself at least among top nominees for any yearly awarded film prize, I'll have a problem finding such decisions just.

As a marginal note, I was lucky to watch this movie back home in my motherland, because having it subtitled was very helpful in order not to miss any of sergeant Boyle's wisecracks, delivered often in heavy Irish accent, and to understand at all occasional lines, uttered by marginal characters, spoken completely in Gaelic. Of course, point was not to be understood by English native speakers, but it was still interesting to know what usual "advices" (if not insults) were given to English speakers, though eventually not English (as FBI agent!) at all. As Irish colleague of mine once said… "We don't sing songs in Gaelic so English people cannot understand how badly we talk about them, they know it already! We sing in Gaelic simply because that's our traditional language (N.B. official whatsoever), and songs sound much better and sweeter in it."