Andrew (24)
Dave Enkosky (15)
Wayne (13)
Pete (12)
Mike (11)
Sir Phobos (11)
Andy (9)
justin (9)
Lauren (8)
Fitz (7)
I’m always happy to review smaller films that deserve more exposure than they’re getting. The Guard premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival where it was met with critical praise because it’s awesome. You’ll know it’s star, Brendan Gleeson, from movies like In Bruges and the Harry Potter films. Here, he plays Irish police sergeant Gerry Boyle–quirky and unorthodox–who’d rather spend the day with the pretty ladies (see: hookers) pictured above than scrape through any gory crime scene. Everything’s going pretty good for Boyle until he accidentally gets himself tangled up with an international drug ring. With killers and cocaine smugglers in his town, it’s up to Ireland’s top cop to take the bad guys down. Just kidding. Stern FBI agent, Wendell Everett (played by Don Cheadle), shows up and forces him to man up.
John Michael McDonagh’s debut feature is one of the funniest films of the year. I’d like to quote a review that Whitney wrote about The Guard:
“So, it turns out that the funniest thing you’ve ever seen is an Irish police sergeant flicking the toe of a corpse in the morgue and then smelling his finger. That phrase “I died laughing” was practically made literal as I leaned over in my theater seat, choking down my uncontrollable glee. The Guard was full of moments like this, each one funnier than the last (although that finger smelling really killed me) ending in an explosion of action and overall good taste.”
Isn’t she talented? And doesn’t that convince you to see this movie? Watching two talented actors like the underrated Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle deliver dialogue back and forth is an awesome way to spend ninety minutes. The film delivers an unexpected surprise with it’s impressive action sequences. While staying true to the tone and aesthetics of the rest of the film, the mid-sized budget special effects add to what’s special about this movie: its unwillingness to break character. It knows what it is and refuses to fall into any cliches. Don’t sleep on The Guard. It’s got everything you always complain is missing from movies.
Twitter: kaiderman
August 2, 2011 9:45 pm
I’M SOOOO JEALOUS! I heard great things about this. I wanna see it so bad! I put it in my Netflix queue even though I won’t get it for a year!
Twitter: kaiderman
August 2, 2011 9:49 pm
Fixed your hearts for ya!
Alt+3… can’t hold it down for each one. Let go after each one!
I heard tons of great things about this one, so yeah I’ll definitely be seeing this. Though like Kai said, it might not be available on Netflix for a long time
Twitter: manilovefilms
August 2, 2011 11:28 pm
Just saw the trailer for this for the first time last week. Looks pretty funny, and you pretty much can’t top those two leads. I’m game.
I’m really interested in this one, it seems exactly like the kind of film I like. Plus it was filmed near where I now live…
Anyway, nice review!
I got dragged to see this one and I was surprised by it, especially the ending.
Twitter: agracru
September 26, 2011 12:27 pm
Loved it. The repertory theater a town over from where I live is playing this, and it didn’t disappoint. I thought that the climax played out a bit too easily, but everything leading up to it was completely golden– particularly Cheadle’s and Gleeson’s chemistry.
I love that as much as Boyle is shown to have a good sense of right and wrong he’s never made into a gruff but lovable teddy bear; he’s a curmudgeon and an oaf, but he’s a curmudgeon and an oaf made of good moral fiber (and he knows how to handle a gun). I’m glad McDonagh had the chutzpah to carry his vision of Boyle through to the end and never really compromise it.
Loved the trio of philosophical criminals. Strong in particular. I actually wasn’t aware that he had a role here, so seeing him turn up was a pleasant surprise.