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One could describe The Guard as Lethal Weapon meets Quentin Tarantino via In Bruges, as it is a mismatched buddy cop movie with a distinctly Irish flavour and uproarious dialogue. However, The Guard does not feel like a derivative motion picture or a slapdash mash-up; instead, it's a hilarious, sharply written, and satisfyingly tongue-in-cheek dark comedy with a unique identity. Written and directed by John Michael McDonagh in his feature film debut, The Guard is also a reminder of how good buddy cop movies can be in the hands of talented filmmakers. With its doggedly offbeat and original sensibility, The Guard is often laugh-out-loud funny, and it affords more pleasures through clever writing and outstanding performances than any number of obnoxious, noisy summer blockbusters that earned more box office attention.
In the West of Ireland, Sergeant Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleeson) seemingly has little interest in taking his job seriously. The crass, confrontational officer of the Garda Sรญochรกna drinks heavily and indulges in drugs (even while on duty), while he spends his days off with prostitutes and does not care about political correctness. His insensitive demeanour shocks his new subordinate, Aidan McBride (Rory Keenan), who arrives from Dublin with an actual work ethic, hoping to solve crimes and help the local community. Shortly after the murder of an unknown man, F.B.I. agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle) arrives in Ireland to investigate rumours of a major seaborne shipment of cocaine coming into the country. Unable to speak Gaelic and encountering disinterested locals, the strait-laced Everett convinces Boyle to help him catch drug traffickers Francis Sheehy-Skeffington (Liam Cunningham), Clive Cornell (Mark Strong), and Liam O'Leary (David Wilmot).
The Guard hits the ground running with an opening scene of Boyle casually watching a speeding car that promptly crashes as it passes him, after which he nonchalantly checks the corpses and steals their drugs. It sets the tone for Boyle's hysterical antics, with the character dispersing an endless supply of one-liners as he banters with the other characters and shows no tolerance for nonsense. Additionally, McDonagh's screenplay wittily sends up Hollywood movies - Clive undermines Americanisms that drive him crazy (such as the saying "Good to go"), and the final scene involves a droll discussion about the possibility of a movie adaptation of the story. McDonagh mines uproarious humour from the situations throughout the story, including Boyle engaging with sex workers on his day off instead of helping Everett with the investigation, and Irish locals pretending they do not understand English when Everett goes door-knocking.
McDonagh's screenplay bursts with hilarious one-liners and bantering, with the writer-director showing no regard for political correctness. Indeed, Boyle himself even shows disdain for the mere suggestion of being politically correct, telling McBride, "Why don't you fuck off to America with your appropriate, fuckin' Barrack Obama." However, The Guard is not purely a comedy, as it also features darker, more dramatic elements, including the abrupt murder of a Garda officer and a climactic shootout on a boat. The tonal changes are not always successful, but McDonagh needs to establish the stakes: despite the humorous dialogue, the director takes the story seriously to prevent it from feeling like a disposable comedy. Compared to more mainstream films, The Guard lacks digital effects and expansive scope, as the story does not demand costly visual trickery. However, the movie grabs your attention with the robust performances and Larry Smith's striking cinematography, which gorgeously captures the natural beauty of rural Ireland. Another enormous benefit is the catchy, Western-esque score courtesy of American indie rock band Calexico, which further enhances the picture's irresistible, unique flavour.
The plot involves drug running and murder, but such material is inconsequential because The Guard is essentially The Brendan Gleeson Show: a character study of the boorish, sarcastic, and cynical Sergeant Gerry Boyle, who perpetually offends his peers. Indeed, the story's events are almost incidental since the movie is primarily about the protagonist's reaction to everything that occurs. The film leaves us to decide whether Boyle is genuinely ignorant or a consummate troll, given the offensive things he says, and it also lets us wonder whether Boyle's opinions and stories are genuine or if he's a liar. Everett even tells Boyle, "You know, I can't tell if you're really motherfucking dumb or really motherfucking smart," as the characters in the movie are similarly unsure about Boyle and what he is thinking. Our interpretation of the complex contrarian feeds into the story and its open-ended conclusion, with McDonagh again emphasising that The Guard is about Boyle and his response to the story's events. The ending might seem unsatisfying at first, but there is more thought and depth to McDonagh's decision to conclude the story in such a way - it is not a lazy cop-out.
Gleeson is excellent here, with the part seemingly tailor-made for the sharp Irish performer. A veteran character actor, Gleeson is primarily known for playing supporting roles, as seen in films like Braveheart, Michael Collins, and Troy; however, he is predictably outstanding in a leading role here. Gleeson has unmatched comedic timing and delivery, scoring laughs with seemingly little effort and making McDonagh's witty dialogue sound entirely natural. Additionally, Gleeson helps ensure that Boyle does not come across as a caricature - instead, the character is wholly three-dimensional. Unsurprisingly, McDonagh later recruited Gleeson to play the lead in his 2014 picture, Calvary. Fortunately, the supporting cast is equally terrific, with Don Cheadle serving as a fantastic straight man, and his grounded disposition further highlights Boyle's peculiar eccentricities. Other recognisable names also appear here, including Mark Strong (playing yet another villain) and the always-reliable Liam Cunningham as two of the drug traffickers, while several wonderful, lesser-known Irish actors fill out the ensemble. All of the bit players are terrific, from Dominique McElligott and Sarah Greene, who play sweet-natured sex workers, to the horse that Everett tries to question during his investigation. Katarina ฤas also makes a great impression as Gabriela McBride, who adds a touch of emotion to the story.
Running at a brisk 90 minutes, The Guard does not outstay its welcome, and McDonagh continually maintains interest with the razor-sharp dialogue and spirited performances. It is not a fast-paced movie, but it is engrossing for those who are willing to listen to the clever, at times poignant conversations (Boyle's discussions with his ailing mother are incredibly touching). McDonagh's filmmaking approach to The Guard, with a focus on witty character interaction and a splash of action, is reminiscent of 2008's In Bruges, and there is a logical reason for this: McDonagh's brother, Martin McDonagh, wrote and directed In Bruges, and served as executive producer on The Guard. Indeed, the two pictures are markedly similar in their dry, sardonic humour, frequently profane dialogue, Irish leads, an atmospheric sense of place, and superb use of Brendan Gleeson. Memorable and hilarious, The Guard is a standout indie production in a sea of expensive studio movies, and Gleeson's Gerry Boyle is arguably the most memorable character of 2011.
8.4/10
