Movie Review: The Guard (2011)

John Michael McDonagh wrote the screenplay for the little-seen 2003 feature Ned Kelly, which I’ve avoided to this point based on hearing nothing that would lead me to believe it was a must see. But after seeing McDonagh’s debut feature film The Guard I just may have to hunt it down.

Showing a similar talent for dialogue and character building that his younger brother Martin McDonagh exhibited in his debut feature, In Bruges, John has crafted a story of an Irish lawman that operates by his own set of rules in a darkly comic modern era Western you absolutely must see. Never afraid to say what’s on his mind or do what suits him best, this is the kind of character movies were made for and the kind of film you want to pay to see.

Brendan Gleeson stars as Sgt. Gerry Boyle, a man that comes off as brash and inconsiderate at first sight. Depending on your sensibilities, who could blame such an opinion, but be sure not to confuse brash and inconsiderate with honest and caustic, although both are still traits likely to offend.

Gerry’s introduction I won’t spoil for you here, but when the story truly gets underway he and a new officer from Dublin (Rory Keenan) set out to investigate a crime scene. A man, shot in the head, is propped against the wall, the number “5 1/2” is written above his head, a page from the Bible is stuffed in his mouth and a potted plant rests in his lap. What could it mean?

Gerry can’t make heads or tails of it, and with no care for crime scene integrity he removes the Bible page from the dead man’s mouth, crumples it and tosses it aside. He examines the pot, makes like he’s got psychic powers just to mess with his partner, and ultimately leaves the scene with what appears to be no concern. Can this guy really care so little about his job that he just walks away from a murder scene, or is there more to Gerry than meets the eye? We’re about to find out.

Enter Don Cheadle as FBI agent Wendell Everett. Wendell is in Ireland investigating a group of drug smugglers assumed to be transporting $500 million worth of cocaine out of the country. Teamed with Gerry, Wendell is prepared to begin his investigation, but unfortunately Gerry likes to do things at his pace, which may include a day off to spend with a couple of prostitutes from Dublin. But I must stop here, I don’t want to tell you too much. You simply have to see it for yourself.

Gleeson is a natural with McDonagh’s darkly comic dialogue and his chemistry with Cheadle is top notch. McDonagh’s witty script is filled with piss and vinegar and he’s managed to create two vastly different characters without betraying their initial personalities. Gerry is as unorthodox as they come and Wendell is straight-laced and by the numbers. The two shouldn’t get along, and they don’t, but the best part of it all is you can tell Wendell isn’t ready to write Gerry off as some rural nut. “I can’t tell if you’re really motherf–king dumb or really motherf–king smart,” Wendell says directly to Gerry’s face. Gerry smiles. It’s a moment that speaks to the core of both characters.

Opposite our two “heroes”, the villains of this melee are played by Liam Cunningham, Mark Strong and David Wilmot. To best describe the trio would be to refer to them as drug-smuggling, existential philosophers with a bend toward the sociopathic. Of course, you can’t sum up three people in ten words, but that’s the best I can do without going into full detail on each. I will add, though, each has his share of moments where you’ll be fully captivated by what they have to say, whether it’s arguing passages from the Bible or chastising local cops they’re attempting to bribe.

If there is anything wrong with the film it’s that occasional feeling of “too much.” Sometimes McDonagh doesn’t know when to lay off the throttle. This film moves at 90 miles per hour for most of its running time and, at times, can become exhaustive to the point your mind will glaze over for a brief 10-20 seconds. I can’t say I felt like this more than a couple of times, but it’s definitely noticeable the closer you get to the end. However, that’s only a minor quibble. I’d rather have my brain on overload than simply not working at all.

John Michael McDonagh, like his brother, is now on the radar and both need to get to work on their next films and quickly. We need people like this working to make today’s cinema better, and a sibling rivalry of this caliber wouldn’t hurt either.

GRADE: B+

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