The Guard

For those of you who enjoyed In Bruges, which I did once I got a DVD with subtitles, were no doubt thrilled to hear that the ever watchable Brendan Gleeson would once again be teaming up with a McDonagh brother in an Irish crime film caper.

Sergeant Gerry Boyle (Gleeson) is a weary, unorthodox policeman in a quiet coastal town of Connemara where wrong-doing seems to be resolved by threats to 'tell your Mam'. So when straight-laced FBI agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle) arrives to solve a drug trafficking crime, Boyle is somewhat bemused by the American and sets about 'winding him up' in that great Irish tradition.

Boyle and Everett have to work together to find the three main gang members and to prevent the drugs coming into the country. There are some lovely twists and the relationship between Boyle and Everett is very entertaining and there is a genuine warmth. We also see that Boyle is a man of integrity and compassion, particularly where the women in his life are concerned.

Although I really enjoyed In Bruges, this film is very different and shouldn't really be compared. Gleeson is excellent as the complex Boyle and Cheadle puts in a stellar performance as a completely flummoxed fish out of water FBI agent. There are some comedic moments, but not enough for me to rate this as a comedy, however, in the screening that I attended, there were a number of Irish people in the audience, and they laughed more than I did. I think that there were some 'in-jokes' that maybe I just wouldn't get.

The supporting cast are fantastic, in particular the three gang members played by Liam Cunningham, David Wilmot and Mark Strong, whose bickering provided much mirth. A special mention should also be given to Owen Sharpe who plays a know-it-all kid with some aplomb.

Verdict: An entertaining film which I enjoyed, unfortunately it wasn't quite funny enough for me and it did descend into a Carry On film at some points. However, Gleeson is always worth watching and it does enough to make it a worthwhile trip to the cinema.