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The Guard

The Guard

2011
Comedy, Suspense/Thriller
1h 36m
An unorthodox Irish policeman with a confrontational personality is teamed up with an uptight FBI agent to investigate an international drug-smuggling ring.
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The Guard

2011
Comedy, Suspense/Thriller
1h 36m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 58.78% from 1539 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(1539)
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Rated 03 Sep 2011
6
70th
An amusingly dry comedy cop film. A very, very small movie to be certain, without any truly original plot elements or breathtaking twists or action or comedy bits you'll carry with you for years to come, but it's anchored by Brendan Gleeson, one of the best actors out there today, who singlehandedly makes it worthwhile.
Rated 03 Sep 2011
65
42nd
A small, likable cop comedy from Ireland that would be completely forgettable weren't it for some witty lines and Gleeson's delightful performance. Not nearly as good as "In Bruges" but possesing enough amusing bits of offbeat humor to stand out well on its own, "The Guard" nevertheless has an unoriginal plot and several uninteresting subplots that prevent it from standing out too much. The bittersweet ending is fitting though.
Rated 03 Oct 2011
6
34th
Who knew there'd still be some room left for the unsung hero amid the constant deluge of comic book adaptations and action star vehicles. Generated by his disgracefully tactless demeanor and some amusing exchanges of dialogue, there's a lot to admire in Gleeson's performance, because you can tell he embraced his character without reservations. This was enough to overcome a lackluster storyline and some phoned-in direction.
Rated 26 Jul 2018
78
85th
Behind his casual racism is respect. Behind his gruff exterior is a caring individual, albeit begrudgingly. Behind the camera is a guy who I haven't followed up on at all though I heard good things about Calvary. Behind the Music is somehow still being made. Behind Blue Eyes is overplayed, yeah, I said it.
Rated 25 Feb 2012
72
62nd
My main gripe is how every characters seems to be a smart-mouth, always ready with a witty comeback. Apart from that, I thought this was a fun movie without too many pretentions that is carried wonderfully by Gleeson.
Rated 12 Jan 2012
68
68th
A revisionist buddy-cop with tons of spaghetti western, Guard is a hell of an entertaining piece of profane, rude and stupid action flick: it's amazingly dumb and smart at the same time, and I guess we should blame Gleeson's witty performance for this incredible balance. These irish men really have got talent for this kind of black comedy.
Rated 11 Nov 2011
80
84th
The concept of two mismatched cops investigating a crime is not exactly original, but this is less about the plot and all about the characterisation and the dialogue. Gleeson is hilarious and Cheadle is cast well as his comic foil. Both characters are likeable, too, and the film perhaps works best in the moments between the punchlines. The scenes with Gleeson and his mother, for example, give the film a warmth that most comedies seem to lack.
Rated 17 Mar 2013
78
69th
A Brendan Gleeson show reel, but what a performance. Full of unexpected depth, pathos and humour. Well worth a watch, even if it isn't the most original thing you'll ever see.
Rated 29 Dec 2011
78
71st
This is a very entertaining film. Brendan Gleeson is hilarious and his performance is a joy to watch. Don Cheadle plays off Gleeson well. There are a lot of quirky characters and funny moments in the film.
Rated 14 Feb 2011
40
19th
The jokes were mostly misses and the old-hat "cerebral, philosophical bad guys" quirk is one I simply cannot let slide. I like Gleeson's performance, though. Too bad he's not supported by better material.
Rated 21 Nov 2011
74
79th
I definitely see the similarities with "In Bruges." Both movies have two mono-syllabic words in their titles, with the second both containing a "g", an "r", and a "u." The biggest difference here being that one title is a noun complimented by the definitive article, where as the other is a prepositional clause.
Rated 10 Nov 2011
87
79th
Brendan Gleeson is just so awesome. This one rivals In Bruges, but Gleeson gets an even better character here - a cop with an independent streak who is dour, smart and witty. The supporting cast is strong too... the "bad guys" are hilarious.
Rated 08 Aug 2011
82
48th
If you liked Brendan Gleeson in IN BRUGES, see this for a bit more of a similar type of humor... It's not "exceptional", but I quite liked it...
Rated 11 Sep 2011
41
7th
Like Cheedle and Gleeson and went in with high hopes and came out disappointed. In a nutshell, the humor didn't work for me. The humor, the chemistry between characters--something--just felt a little off. Preferred the other McDonagh's *In Bruges*.
Rated 19 Oct 2011
71
39th
People compare this movie with In Bruges way too much. This one contains less humor, action and daringness, but makes up for it in personal character approach (hats off to Gleeson) and the playful, just enough-on-the-serious-side story. The supporting cast is a bit weak (Cheadle didn't impress me at all), and the film will not stay in my memory for long, but I for one enjoyed every second of it. Ireland :O
Rated 14 Sep 2011
39
30th
I watched this because I thought it would be similar to 'In Bruges' but this is nowhere near as good. Gleeson does the best he can with the script but the supporting cast, the writing, and the cinematography are all mediocre. 99% of the jokes and irony are simply misses. The beginning is extremely slow and even though there are a couple of nice moments in the second half of the film, most of The Guard feels like lame, quickly-made rehash of the done-to-death crime-themed dark comedy genre.
Rated 03 Nov 2011
66
30th
Enjoyable little black comedy where the main pleasure is watching Gleeson run his mouth off. Everything else is pretty average.
Rated 09 Jan 2015
71
85th
It was sitting on my computer for year because I thought it would be some predictable, lame cop drama/comedy. Not even close. It is very, very funny crime comedy. I don't remember ever seeing so likeable, philosophical bad guys ever. Of course Gleesson is the star here. His character reminded me of chill , Irish version of Nicolas Cage's Bad Lieutenant. I haven't had so much fun watching a movie in quite a while, and lately I've been watching lots of movies I expected to be fun.
Rated 30 Oct 2016
95
97th
Great performance by Gleeson. What makes it a great movie, besides him, is that the usage of witty comebacks and sass from everybody (especially Gleeson) seems to make fun of the premise of the movie without outright coming out and saying it. If that makes sense. Either way, it's just a funny movie.
Rated 18 Aug 2012
86
76th
Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson were great in this cop comedy. I really liked this film even though some of the accents were really strong in it and I had to really pay attention to what everyone was saying. Gleeson shined in this movie, I had not seen him in anything but Harry Potter so it was nice to see him without that weird "Mad" eye. I laughed really hard on several parts and just really had a good time. There are some great lines in this. Oh and this movie hates Dublin.
Rated 24 Sep 2011
3
32nd
Gleeson is good but his performance isn't enough to forgive the lame humor or rescue the dry script. A dud.
Rated 12 Dec 2011
73
66th
This movie has its own identity. The character played by Brendan Gleeson is extremely entertaining. All the other characters lend to making this movie quirky as it should be. It is a pretty enjoyable movie.
Rated 19 Nov 2011
75
74th
I really liked it. Gleeson handling shit like a boss.
Rated 22 Mar 2012
75
65th
A potentially great film which seemed to fall slightly short in many respects, particularly consistency in direction and style. For instance, it's presented as a western for the first and last 5 minutes, but not really at all in between. Yeah, I get the point, but it's a bit jarring. Gleeson hands in one of his best performances and The Guard is infinitely recommendable for him alone.
Rated 21 Dec 2011
58
22nd
Even if you are only a bit familiar with the Irish culture you will enjoy this movie. It is full of small details that make you smile and Cheadle and Gleeson were brilliant. But that said, the execution of the movie was quite weak, directing was too amateurish and the supporting cast was 2 leagues below the main characters. All these created an awkward atmosphere and together with the failed attempt in creating Tarantino-like dialogues, the film didn't reach its potential unfortunately.
Rated 03 Mar 2012
80
78th
A familiar genre piece livened up by whipsmart dialogue, subversive humor, and a terrific starring turn by Brendan Gleeson. Pure irreverent entertainment at its finest.
Rated 14 Sep 2011
76
82nd
Feel good movie of the year.
Rated 04 Aug 2018
62
55th
Not bad, although unfortunately the only important character that isn't utterly repellent is killed in the first 15 minutes. Still, decent human beings don't necessarily make for entertaining movies. It IS entertaining, and has its own unique rhythm, unlike any cops-and-bad-guys flick I've seen. Heartwarmingly, the Irish are depicted exactly as I remember them from a two-month stint working in the provinces there.
Rated 01 Mar 2023
74
74th
Gleeson's character is an all-time great--truly interesting and funny as hell. Mark Strong and Liam Cunningham are also great in their roles, though they have less to work with. The overall plot and story were a bit rote, but I was happy enough just getting to watch Gleeson move through it all.
Rated 27 Apr 2012
83
72nd
Existential black comedy centered around criminals and police. It's an engaging ride and quite funny, but doesn't quite do enough to stand out. Still, not being the best is no reason to miss out on a good film, which this is.
Rated 07 Feb 2013
83
83rd
Gleeson made this movie, his character should have his own series. The guy is like the corrupted, hilarious, Irish version of "Dirty Harry". Cheadle was a good counterpart here. It's just a damned fun movie.
Rated 03 Jan 2012
70
54th
A little disjointed in places, some of it felt a bit slap dash. Brendan Gleeson is great as an "unique" member of the guard and it has some entertaining side characters. A nice, well not nice it's probably really offensive, wee movie that sometimes feels a bit like a TV show. Probably down to the budget though.
Rated 27 May 2012
73
34th
Was sometimes slow going but the two leads play off each other really well once it gets going.
Rated 25 Oct 2011
90
79th
it is not something you have never seen but it is just something you have never seen the way it should be that is shown here. no boring moments but slow at times which didn't bothered me at all. i loved this black comedy, i smiled and laughed throughout the movie and found myself thoroughly enjoying this movie. a perfectly done comedy, u don't need LOL gags to make a perfect comedy. Brendan Gleeson gave a superb performance, i wish he gets an Oscar nomination for this movie.
Rated 05 Dec 2014
75
65th
About 65 points are for Brendan Gleeson. Not to say anyone else is bad exactly but wow, he brings it. The film itself is not out there enough to really stand up by itself, which is a shame.
Rated 17 Aug 2016
83
81st
The plot barely seems important. Really, I feel like this film is just a showcase for the awesome Brendan Gleeson. He doesn't always get the opportunity to front a film, but he's damn good at it.
Rated 22 Sep 2011
70
74th
Typical British humor carried by incredibly facetious writing and two great performances from Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle.
Rated 20 Nov 2011
72
64th
fun little movie
Rated 13 Feb 2012
80
38th
Fantastic performance by Brendan Gleeson.
Rated 10 Oct 2011
85
50th
Hilariously politically incorrect, it will give you a few laughs, and some tenderness on the way.
Rated 05 Mar 2012
77
49th
The quirky dry comedy started off well, although it quickly lost its impact. I could have loved it for its comedic tone if they'd had the balls to properly commit to absurdism. But instead it developed a plot, got too mainstream, and a lot of jokes were just thrown thick and fast without much quality control. The end result was a bit underwhelming - it failed to go deep enough into either craziness, crime-fighting or character exploration to be something worthy of my time.
Rated 30 Mar 2017
82
80th
The McDonagh's are obvious fans of dark humor with an appropriate amount of violence sprinkled about- and Brendan Gleeson. None of their films work without his well-timed humor and ability to portray characters that wish to be remembered for their subtle moral codes. Well crafted and laugh-out-loud funny.
Rated 21 May 2012
72
56th
If the rest of Ireland is as fun and unpredictable as Brendan Gleeson, I'm booking a ticket at Ryanair right now.
Rated 09 Dec 2013
52
20th
All the plot summaries in the world make this sound like a straightforward, even generic buddy cop comedy. But this is something different. The story is a bit more meandering, delving into quite a few subplots before it decides to go ahead and get on its way. Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson don't really spend that much time with each other, but they play off of each other fairly well when they do. My advice: Don't go into this expecting something like "Lethal Weapon in Ireland"
Rated 10 Sep 2012
50
37th
Great fun, but a very bad film...
Rated 27 Feb 2012
79
69th
This made me laugh.
Rated 05 May 2012
100
96th
Perfection
Rated 20 Jan 2012
70
64th
7- recommended, good :: thought this would be more of a straight-up comedy
Rated 12 Nov 2017
89
83rd
BACK-FILLING A WHOLE JOB-LOT OF FILMS I'VE SEEN BUT NOT FOR A LONG, LONG TIME So, my recollection/scoring may be 20-30% off point. I would be not at all offended, grateful in fact, if anyone wants to drop me a cordial note if they think memory has dulled a gem or given a rosy tint to a bit of a clunker. IE. Tell me why I am wrong and what U think I should've scored it. I love film chat/debate. Hilarious - that I remember for sure.
Rated 07 Aug 2011
10
2nd
Lowest score for movie I've actually watched.
Rated 04 Sep 2011
70
69th
The plot and the main character conflict might not be particularly original, but it's the dialogues and the cast that really get this project going. Both Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle provide exquisite performances, the action scene towards the end is very well-executed and the uncertain finale is satisfying. John Michael McDonagh is certainly a guy to keep an eye on.
Rated 26 Jan 2012
87
29th
not bad.
Rated 21 Jul 2014
3
73rd
Very tv policer filled with black humour, fun in places but inessential.
Rated 08 Aug 2011
80
57th
Somewhere between In Bruges and Hot Fuzz, but missing the subtlety of the former and the joke concentration of Fuzz. Still, a lot of the jokes are great, and Cheadle plays a wonderful straight man.
Rated 20 Oct 2011
30
78th
"McDonagh's direction is smooth, but it's his writing that carries the day, treating genre elements with both seriousness and subversive humor." - Nick Schager
Rated 10 Jul 2013
60
27th
I'm not too sure what to think about this movie. At points it made me laugh out loud, and was incredibly witty. Other times it was slow and a bit dull, and this movie is less than 90 minutes. Maybe I was expecting the next In Bruges, which is a bit unfair. Nice to see Ser Davos Seaworth though.
Rated 04 Oct 2013
83
88th
aaaaa .... boring Ireland :)
Rated 22 Jan 2014
75
0th
Un film davvero originale, pungente, dissacrante e completamente fuori dagli schemi.
Rated 03 Jun 2013
80
77th
A pleasant surprise of a film, with Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson. Irish comedies, they are a thing!
Rated 30 Nov 2011
7
44th
Disappointing ending...
Rated 22 Mar 2015
90
81st
Little of Tarantino, little of Coen brothers ant this all under Irish flavour.
Rated 18 Nov 2012
75
67th
Enjoyable Irish black comedy starring a delightfully prejudiced cop played by Brendan Gleeson. He runs the show and drives the whole movie with his humor. The plot isn't deep but will keep you interested but the action scene at the end wasn't exactly anything to write home about. It's an entertaining 90 minutes that people who like snappy dialogue will enjoy.
Rated 25 Feb 2013
80
59th
Harsh and rude in the face of time when everyone is using politically correct checkers. I love Ireland.
Rated 17 Sep 2011
70
76th
That was big fun. Just go and see it.
Rated 24 Dec 2011
90
91st
Would surely offend and/or bore some, but I enjoyed immensely and I actually laughed, and most movies can only make me smile.
Rated 04 Oct 2011
80
54th
Quite fucking decent.
Rated 11 Oct 2012
71
90th
Enjoyable yarn. A gas in fact. Great performance from Gleeson
Rated 13 Oct 2012
50
33rd
Very slow and most painful of all trying to make sense out of the irish accent, buT im glad i was pleased with the ending.
Rated 03 Jun 2015
84
79th
84.000
Rated 21 Nov 2016
76
52nd
Decent small movie
Rated 17 Mar 2012
81
73rd
Manages to be quite original even with the clichéd premise. Gleeson is great in the lead.
Rated 12 Feb 2012
80
44th
Gleeson is great as always, and it's a lot of fun overall. The accents are incredibly thick, though, and it's difficult for an unexperienced American like myself to understand what people are saying much of the time. That's my fault, though.
Rated 20 Jul 2012
70
82nd
Very funny.
Rated 12 Dec 2012
6
44th
Funny and politically incorrect - An enjoyable 90 minutes.
Rated 15 Jan 2012
86
78th
Brilliant.. Brendan Gleeson is great as the unconventional cop
Rated 16 May 2012
8
69th
Dark, sharp, and funny, with a wonderful performance by Brendan Gleeson that fans of In Bruges' impudence would surely enjoy.
Rated 12 Nov 2012
71
40th
Has some funny scenes, particularly in the first 20 minutes and the very end when the style resembles more of a spaghetti western. Unfortunately the rest of the film is largely ineffectual when this is replaced with a toned down semi-documentary style, but Brendan Gleeson makes it worth watching even when it's getting too serious for it's own good. I just wish it was more like the beginning throughout.
Rated 26 Jul 2012
60
54th
alright. Could have been much better, though.
Rated 24 May 2012
63
61st
Too many jokes, and too many that doesn't work, but pleasant company.
Rated 03 Feb 2012
40
10th
I went into this film with "In Bruges" expectations, but was sadly disappointed. Fine performances, but slow moving and only occasionally funny.
Rated 02 Apr 2012
84
67th
Not unlike his brother's IN BRUGES, J.M. McDonagh's THE GUARD seems both to embrace and reject genre; it's a comedy that's often dark and melancholy, a thriller that's often discursive, a film that sets up formulas which it proceeds to ignore. And yet, on its own cockeyed terms, it's quite engaging. Brendan Gleeson is spot on in the title role: wily, self-indulgent, dryly funny, and subtly sympathetic. Don Cheadle matches him throughout. Lightweight, but an amusing, and rather poignant, tale.
Rated 20 Aug 2015
78
60th
Seen 2x
Rated 04 Feb 2012
75
26th
Pretty good. Brendan Gleeson is excellent but Don Cheadle struck me as remarkably flat for being a guy I like so much. It's not laugh out loud funny but some of the dialogue is totally on point (if you can make it out anyway HA!).
Rated 11 Aug 2014
90
81st
A brutal, nifty crime comedy with that inimitable non-PC McDonagh charm, a highly likable lead pair-up and a cute fish-out-of-water ingredient thrown in for good measure.
Rated 30 Jan 2015
50
9th
movie completely falls apart without Gleeson. He is really the only thing going for this movie. Cheadle is boring and the movie is unremarkable. Gleeson and his quips are the only reason to watch this. don't get me wrong though, He is absolutely fantastic, hes the whole reason why this is a 50.
Rated 27 Oct 2014
7
57th
The Guard is a film I saw purely by chance when I was visiting Dublin and it completely took me by surprise. I watched it with no expectations or any idea what it was about other than it starred Brendan Gleeson. As black comedies go, this is a hilarious unsung gem. There are pacing issues but the characters carry the film tremendously and Brendan Gleeson in particular gives a hilarious and memorable performance. But ultimately The Guard has its own identity & the humour won't cater for everyone.
Rated 08 Jul 2013
74
64th
Amazing black humour from Ireland with adorable Irish English! Great cast, great buildup of the story, great comedy. Very enjoyable with whiskey and ginger ale!
Rated 01 Feb 2021
32
25th
Funny? Not! Mystery? None! Action/Crime? Not at all! I cannot understand the hype and the rating it gets. A time waste.
Rated 16 Jul 2021
70
44th
Mark Strong steals every scene he's in, Gleeson is amazing is always, but the script is sadly only kind of there.
Rated 29 Nov 2021
90
96th
"You couldn't just let me be, y'know."
Rated 15 Jan 2023
80
78th
Top badass moment? The chance to see a real antihero in action. Brendan Gleeson is the unpleasant and unpredictably offensive, yet sympathetic Sgt. Gerry Boyle, pissing on the grave of Harry Callahan and invoking the spirit of “Shaun of the Dead”. In fact he manages to get the film an 18 Certificate, without there being any gratuitous sex, nudity or gory violence, which is pretty good going! We also get to see what a world class police service the Garda is. No cats, chainsaws or decapitations.
Rated 15 Mar 2023
40
9th
Uninspiring. A waste of Gleeson's talents.
Rated 23 Jun 2023
8
73rd
I liked it, though it is a rather standard Brendan Gleeson crime drama.
Rated 27 Jun 2023
86
90th
Yes, it's been done before, the straight-laced teaming up with the irreverant but cluey cop plot but when it's well done it works... and here it is very well done. Gleeson is perfect and with a host of quirky locals make this a bit of a hoot. Surprisingly good for its formalaic story and action. Not PC at all which helps greatly. There is a sex scene (done with humour) but no nudity. Watch.

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