The Guard (2011) Dir: John Michael McDonagh
- Ridley Coote
- Mar 25, 2023
- 1 min read
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This Irish crime thriller is loaded up with dark humour and hijinks. Written and directed by John Michael McDonagh, this witty indie film has so many funny moments and sequences. The narrative is solid, if not incredible, but what really makes this is the comedy. McDonagh clearly has the talent for humour, and with the help of his cast, the vast majority of jokes land very well.
Brendan Gleeson is quickly growing to become one of my favourite actors. His dry delivery and quick wit hits time after time and he never fails to get a laugh from me here.
Don Cheadle appearing in an independent Irish film is not something I expected, but he is great value here. His chemistry with Gleeson is particularly enjoyable. With his more serious delivery playing off Gleeson's wit wonderfully.
The last man I want to focus on is Mark Strong, who is the best of the supporting cast. His character may be a typical English criminal, but he plays it well regardless. He has some pretty funny moments in his own right too.
Finally, I'll give mentions to Darren Healy, Mícheál Óg Lane, David Wilmot, Liam Cunningham, Katarina Čas and Fionnula Flanagan, whom all had a few decent moments each, particularly when interacting with those above.
Overall, this was a pleasant surprise of a crime film. It's not too long, it's funny, it's quirky, and I think it's one just about anyone could enjoy.
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