

The FBI are about to discover that things work a little differently around here.
When a small-town Irish cop with a crass personality is partnered with a straight-laced FBI agent to bust an international drug-trafficking ring, they must settle their differences in order to take down a dangerous gang.
Log it
Sign in to log this.
Character
Contemporary, resolved, classical in form and cool.
- contemporarynostalgic
- resolvedopen-ended
- classical in formformally daring
- cooloverwhelming
- effortlessdemanding
Who loves it, who doesn't
No profiled raters yet.
Where do you stand?
Answer first; then see how everyone, and your circle, split.
“Is this John Michael McDonagh's best work?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
“Is Brendan Gleeson the best thing in The Guard?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
“Is it funnier than it is smart?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
Ask the title
A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
Reviews
No reviews yet.
Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- CinemaSerfon TMDB · Mar 20247/10
I couldn't help but wonder just how much acting Brendan Gleeson was actually doing here! He really does look like he's enjoying himself as the irreverent Garda officer "Boyle" whose sleepy Irish community finds itself embroiled in an FBI investigation led by "Everett" (Don Cheadle) into a smuggling racket that could involve $500m worth of cocaine. It's fair to say that "Boyle" does things very much his own way, doesn't really care about any hierarchies and the arrival of his by-the-book American counterpart is just a pain in the neck. Quite quickly, we are on the trail of the gang and though their developing relationship does take a fairly predictable path, their dialogue is peppered with some pithy and sarcastic humour and the detective work shows up, quite cleverly, the differences and effectiveness of their methods of policing. All along we know who there baddies are, and Mark Strong and Liam Cunningham deliver quite well as they assume that the local yokel will prove no trouble to their nefarious industry. The end is a little disappointing, but generally the whole thing moves along quickly and entertainingly with their culture clashing personalities well presented by Gleeson an
Read the whole review on TMDB - Renoon TMDB · Nov 20165/10
**An ordinary cop, enjoying his single life, gets into a real cop business!** I won't say it is an overrated film, but it simply did not work for me. The same director who had made 'Calvary' directed this one as well with Brendon Gleeson in the lead, but that was an earlier project to this one. I loved that film, not this one, though I consider it an average, because I did not find it bad. The theme was very familiar, and too much wasted scenes with the slow narration spoiled my mood. There's no clear perspective of the storytelling, just it concentrated on a small town cop and his single life, and rarely he fights the crime. When an FBI agent comes looking for some international drug dealers, a cop in a small Irish town braced to assist the American officer. Though he never cared to involve in it. He follows his usual lifestyle, enjoying every moment of his life. After a woman comes asking to find his cop husband gone missing, he now gets into the action. How serious he makes progress in the case and its result is the rest of the film to disclose. It's not as funny as I anticipated. But watchable film for its quality narration. The actors were just okay. The characters were really
Read the whole review on TMDB
Cast
- Brendan GleesonSergeant Gerry Boyle
- Don CheadleFBI agent Wendell Everett
- Liam CunninghamFrancis Sheehy
- Mark StrongClive Cornell
- Katarina ČasGabriela McBride
- David WilmotLiam O'Leary
- Rory KeenanGarda Aidan McBride
- Laurence KinlanPhotographer
- Dominique McElligottAoife O'Carroll
- Sarah GreeneSinead Mulligan
Crew
- John Michael McDonaghDirector
- John Michael McDonaghWriter
- Larry SmithDirector of Photography
- Joey BurnsOriginal Music Composer
- John ConvertinoOriginal Music Composer
- CalexicoOriginal Music Composer
- Chris GillEditor
- Flora Fernandez MarengoProducer
- Chris ClarkProducer
- Andrew LoweProducer
Where to watch
Checking availability…
Pairings
Companions we picked from the closest works, and how to take them.
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Tastebuds Other media included when they land close.
Both contemporary, classical in form, resolved.
Guarding Tess 199479% alikeBoth contemporary, classical in form, resolved.
The Mexican 200178% alikeBoth contemporary, classical in form, resolved.
The Hard Way 199178% alikeBoth resolved, contemporary, classical in form.
Morning Glory 201077% alikeBoth contemporary, classical in form, effortless.
Bon Cop Bad Cop 200677% alikeBoth contemporary, classical in form, resolved.
Little Monsters 201977% alikeBoth contemporary, resolved, classical in form.
Bolt 200876% alikeBoth contemporary, resolved, classical in form.
Elsbeth 202481% alikeTelevision · Both contemporary, resolved, classical in form.
Battle Creek 201579% alikeTelevision · Both contemporary, classical in form, resolved.
Often watched with
Recommendations from TMDB. Opening one adds it to Tastebuds













