The Guard

Many reviews of The Guard make note of the odd couple relationship of its two lead characters played by Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle (Cheadle co-produced). It is called "The Guard" for a reason--and not "The Guard and the FBI Agent." At heart The Guard is a character film of Gleeson's Gerry Boyle, a Connemarra policeman, and the pride he has for his community and himself, to the point of disregarding other things that to you and me would seem more important.


What the reviews also don't focus as much on is the crime that is being investigated and its underlying elements for some of the characters in the film. Boyle (Gleeson) is working with an FBI agent Wendell Everett (Cheadle) to uncover a big drug transaction they expect will take place there soon. Everett is put off by Boyle's open racism and his penchant for pulling oddball facts out of his hat while seemingly unknowing about commonly known details. As the case progresses, we see how Boyle is steadfast in his vision and pride, and Everett, while he may not understand Boyle, has a respect for Boyle's conviction and surety about how to do his job and live his life. A line in the film about whether Boyle is really stupid or really smart is pretty on point.

I especially liked the actress who played the wife of Boyle's partner, Katarina Cas. Her small role helps to define and draw Boyle's character in more detail for us. In the same manner, Fionnula Flanagan as Boyle's ailing mother doesn't specifically add to the story but serves to give us more richness to Boyle the man. There is comedy as well as tragedy on a small level.

This film seems influenced by Quentin Tarantino, by its bold (really bold!) credits and Mexican standoff music, and some of its character portrayals.  The story though is very Irish with pro-Connemarra sentiment, and some of the accents may be a bit thick. Co-stars include Liam Cunningham, Mark Strong and David Wilmot as the bad guys.