The Guard
Directed by John Michael McDonagh
Sergeant Gerry Boyle is a small-town Irish cop with a confrontational personality, a subversive sense of humor, a dying mother, a fondness for prostitutes, and absolutely no interest whatsoever in the international cocaine-smuggling ring that has brought straight-laced FBI agent Wendell Everett to his door.
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The Guard Ratings & Reviews
- mickerdoo1d agoGiven the parts I could understand, I thought Gleason was gleefully naughty and had fun chemistry with Cheadle. The setting was the star.
- HakihikoJanuary 22, 2026Sharp Humor Meets Deadpan Charm "The Guard" is a wonderfully off-kilter crime comedy that thrives on its unpredictable tone, dry wit, and a lead performance that anchors the whole thing with effortless cool. It's not a perfect film, but it's distinct, entertaining, and consistently enjoyable in its own quirky way. Brendan Gleeson is magnetic as Sgt. Gerry Boyle: irreverent, irrepressible, and full of offbeat humor that never feels forced. His chemistry with Don Cheadle's straight-laced FBI agent creates a comedic dynamic that carries the narrative: two very different worlds clashing, misunderstanding, and - strangely - syncing up enough to keep you invested. Their interactions are the backbone of the film, and much of the enjoyment comes from watching their relationship evolve. The script leans into absurdity with confidence, blending crime procedural elements with humor in a way that feels fresh and unpredictable. Some jokes hit harder than others, but the overall tone is sharp and self-aware, never afraid to push into territory that's unusual for the genre. Visually and technically, the film is understated, letting the performances and dialogue take center stage. The pacing keeps things moving without ever feeling rushed, and the tone remains consistent throughout. "The Guard" isn't a blockbuster, nor does it attempt to be. What it is is witty, sincere, and comfortably offbeat - a crime comedy with personality and laughter to spare.
- Ben CormierJanuary 16, 2026Fantastic and charming Irish take on the odd-couple buddy-cop flick.
- rhacarOctober 9, 2025Fun, witty, irreverent
- NiztradamusAugust 12, 2025No woke bullshit, just good old Irish humor. Loved it! Definitely worth a watch. The audio mix could have been better though. Sometimes it was really hard to make out what they were saying between the Irish accent, a bit of mumbling and the slightly muddy audio track. Still, great movie!
The Guard Trivia
The Guard was released on July 7, 2011.
The Guard was directed by John Michael McDonagh.
The Guard has a runtime of 1h 36m.
The Guard was produced by Flora Fernández-Marengo, Chris Clark, Andrew Lowe, Ed Guiney.
Sergeant Gerry Boyle is a small-town Irish cop with a confrontational personality, a subversive sense of humor, a dying mother, a fondness for prostitutes, and absolutely no interest whatsoever in the international cocaine-smuggling ring that has brought straight-laced FBI agent Wendell Everett to his door.
The key characters in The Guard are Sergeant Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleeson), FBI agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle), Francis Sheehy (Liam Cunningham).
The Guard is rated R.
The Guard is a Comedy, Action, Thriller film.
The Guard has an audience rating of 8.1 out of 10.
The Guard had a budget of $6M.
The Guard has made $19.6M at the box office.