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The Guard

  • 20112011
  • RR
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
91K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,922
1,398
Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson in The Guard (2011)
An unorthodox Irish policeman with a confrontational personality is teamed up with an uptight FBI agent to investigate an international drug-smuggling ring.
Play trailer1:34
12 Videos
55 Photos
ComedyCrimeThriller
An unorthodox Irish policeman with a confrontational personality is partnered with an uptight F.B.I. agent to investigate an international drug-smuggling ring.An unorthodox Irish policeman with a confrontational personality is partnered with an uptight F.B.I. agent to investigate an international drug-smuggling ring.An unorthodox Irish policeman with a confrontational personality is partnered with an uptight F.B.I. agent to investigate an international drug-smuggling ring.
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
91K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,922
1,398
  • Director
    • John Michael McDonagh
  • Writer
    • John Michael McDonagh
  • Stars
    • Brendan Gleeson
    • Don Cheadle
    • Mark Strong
  • Director
    • John Michael McDonagh
  • Writer
    • John Michael McDonagh
  • Stars
    • Brendan Gleeson
    • Don Cheadle
    • Mark Strong
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 183User reviews
    • 262Critic reviews
    • 78Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 17 wins & 29 nominations total

    Videos12

    The Guard - International Trailer
    Trailer 1:34
    Watch The Guard - International Trailer
    The Guard - U.S. Trailer
    Trailer 2:18
    Watch The Guard - U.S. Trailer
    The Guard: A Sociopath Not A Psychopath (Uk)
    Clip 0:45
    Watch The Guard: A Sociopath Not A Psychopath (Uk)
    The Guard: Disney World
    Clip 1:09
    Watch The Guard: Disney World
    The Guard: Gaelic
    Clip 0:42
    Watch The Guard: Gaelic
    The Guard: It Hurts
    Clip 0:44
    Watch The Guard: It Hurts
    The Guard: Confessions & Cocaine (Uk)
    Clip 1:19
    Watch The Guard: Confessions & Cocaine (Uk)
    The Guard: Half A Billion (Uk)
    Clip 1:15
    Watch The Guard: Half A Billion (Uk)
    The Guard: Street Value
    Clip 1:13
    Watch The Guard: Street Value
    The Guard: Did You Grow Up In The Projects?
    Clip 1:10
    Watch The Guard: Did You Grow Up In The Projects?
    The Guard: Day Off
    Clip 1:10
    Watch The Guard: Day Off
    The Guard: Stealing An Ostrich (Uk)
    Clip 0:54
    Watch The Guard: Stealing An Ostrich (Uk)

    Photos55

    Brendan Gleeson, Dominique McElligott, and Sarah Greene in The Guard (2011)
    Brendan Gleeson in The Guard (2011)
    Brendan Gleeson in The Guard (2011)
    Brendan Gleeson in The Guard (2011)
    Brendan Gleeson and Dominique McElligott in The Guard (2011)
    Brendan Gleeson and Mícheál Óg Lane in The Guard (2011)
    Don Cheadle in The Guard (2011)
    Brendan Gleeson and Katarina Cas in The Guard (2011)
    Liam Cunningham, Mark Strong, and David Wilmot in The Guard (2011)
    Dominique McElligott and Sarah Greene in The Guard (2011)
    Brendan Gleeson in The Guard (2011)
    Don Cheadle in The Guard (2011)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Brendan Gleeson
    Brendan Gleeson
    • Gerry Boyle
    Don Cheadle
    Don Cheadle
    • FBI Agent Wendell Everett
    Mark Strong
    Mark Strong
    • Clive Cornell
    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
    Rory Keenan
    Rory Keenan
    • Aidan McBride
    Declan Mannlen
    • James McCormick
    • (as Declan Mannion)
    Laurence Kinlan
    Laurence Kinlan
    • Photographer
    Mícheál Óg Lane
    Mícheál Óg Lane
    • Eugene Moloney
    Liam Cunningham
    Liam Cunningham
    • Francis Sheehy-Skeffington
    Owen Sharpe
    Owen Sharpe
    • Billy Devaney
    Fionnula Flanagan
    Fionnula Flanagan
    • Eileen Boyle
    Wale Ojo
    Wale Ojo
    • Doctor Oleyuwo
    Mark O'Halloran
    Mark O'Halloran
    • Garda No. 1
    Gary Lydon
    • Gerry Stanton
    • Director
      • John Michael McDonagh
    • Writer
      • John Michael McDonagh
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film's director and writer, John Michael McDonagh, is the brother of Martin McDonagh, who had directed Gleeson in the Oscar-winning Six Shooter (2004) and the critically acclaimed In Bruges (2008).
    • Goofs
      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: There were gay lads in the IRA?

      Colum Hennessey: Mmm... one or two.

      [Shrugs]

      Colum Hennessey: It was the only way we could successfully infiltrate the MI5.

    • Connections
      Featured in Maltin on Movies: Cowboys & Aliens (2011)
    • Soundtracks
      Rock Star
      Written by Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo

      Performed by N.E.R.D.

    User reviews183

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Understated and funny, a showpiece for Gleeson
    Despite the fact that I live in a bustling metropolis, all of the theaters that show smaller films are somewhere between 30 and 50 miles away. In "Dallas Traffic Time", that translates to somewhere between 90 minutes and 16 days. As a result, I don't get time to see many of these films until they come to DVD, if at all. In my experience, art house films are often the most difficult to write about and even more difficult to properly judge, particularly in the summer. When almost everything I've watched in the last three months has involved superheroes, aliens, or jokes related to bodily functions, I have a tough time transitioning to more mature and cinematic endeavors. So it is with "The Guard, a film entirely unlike anything else I saw this summer.

    Sergeant Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleeson) is an off-the-wall, somewhat crotchety veteran police officer who patrols a small Irish town. Shortly after beginning an investigation into a peculiar murder, Boyle discovers that his case is related to a major drug ring that is currently being hunted by FBI agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle). As straight-laced as they come, Everett is an odd pair for Boyle but the two are forced to work together to take down the cartel. When the case pulls Boyle in deeper than he would have ever imagined he is forced to reexamine his life's work and turn himself into an unlikely hero.

    If that synopsis makes "The Guard" sound wholly serious, bear in mind that it is completely and totally a comedy. A dark comedy to be sure but a comedy nonetheless. If you've ever wondered what "Hot Fuzz" would be like if it was subtle and less over-the-top, "The Guard" fits the bill. This is writer/director John Michael McDonagh's first full length film but I would never have guessed it if not for the magic of IMDb. It is a witty, well-written film that makes its tone clear from the first scene. The pacing isn't exactly what I would call slow but instead calculatedly casual; it knows where it intends to go and it makes its way with balanced determination. This is a film that knows its own identity and doesn't stray from the dark comedy path more than a time or two. Its humor is smart and lively. Even with the thick accents (which probably caused me to miss a joke or two) "The Guard" is filled with exquisite dialogue and understated jokes that brought more laughs than anything from all but the very best big budget comedies this year has brought.

    The plot of "The Guard" is simple but refined and that pushes all of the attention onto the characters and the actors who portray them. Cheadle is a solid straight man and as he always does, he makes the absolute most of every scene he is given. As one of the ringleaders of the drug ring, Mark Strong's character is straight out of a Guy Ritchie film, a role Strong is great at playing. Please Mr. Strong: stick to these films and stay away from popcorn crap like "Green Lantern." But despite all of the excellent actors around him, "The Guard" is all about Gleeson. His work in 2008's "In Bruges" (coincidentally directed by McDonagh's brother Martin) finally brought him the attention he deserves, but Gleeson has always been a favorite of mine, a magnificent actor who never fails to impress no matter how little screen time he is given. Boyle is a without a doubt a curmudgeon (and a slightly racist one at that) but Gleeson makes him exceedingly likable. He is a wild card, the type of guy who does the right thing when you're absolutely sure he's going to continue to disgrace himself and Gleeson pulls this off perfectly. Moreover, he once again exhibits the brilliant comedic timing that has made him one of the best and most versatile actors that Ireland has to offer. I'm not saying it's his best performance but rather another in a long string of quality portrayals that illustrate just how undervalued this guy really is.

    Fun, intelligent, and genuinely hilarious, "The Guard" is an excellent departure from my typical fare this time of year. I've made no bones about the fact that I really like summer blockbusters. I love them, in fact. But when a movie like "The Guard" comes along in the midst of the "Conan the Barbarians" of the world, it serves as an incredibly refreshing reminder of what we have to hope for in the coming months.

    Check out my site: www.thesoapboxoffice.blogspot.com/
    helpful•95
    20
    • bdgill12
    • Aug 21, 2011

    FAQ1

    • Who composed the incidental music for the film?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 7, 2011 (Ireland)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • Ireland
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • English
      • Irish Gaelic
    • Also known as
      • Lực Lượng Cảnh Sát
    • Filming locations
      • Barna, County Galway, Ireland
    • Production companies
      • Reprisal Films
      • Element Pictures
      • Hindsight Media
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,360,274
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $76,834
      • Jul 31, 2011
    • Gross worldwide
      • $19,561,904
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

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