Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sarah Nagle on December 26, 2013 at 6:18pm

Saw this film in the theatre when it came out in the U.S. a couple of years ago. I thought it was hilarious. Don't have a clue how good (or bad) it was at depicting the life of a Guard. But I thought it was insanely good at depicting how out of place a Bureau man can be. Whoever wrote the script/consulted gave Don Cheadle a lot of layers.

And yes. At least 4 stars.

Permalink Reply by Ryan O'Rourke on December 26, 2013 at 6:23pm

Regarding its accuracy in depicting the life of a guard, it's pretty much bang-on as far as I can tell, Sarah.  Most guards here don't really do all that much when compared to American law enforcement.  They're mostly like the "rent-a-cops" in American malls -- only there for the show of some semblance of security.

Permalink Reply by Ryan O'Rourke on December 27, 2013 at 5:57am

I suppose some of it was unrealistic, but I also saw much in it which reflects the way things really are.  Obviously Gleeson's character itself was over-the-top, but besides that I saw many reflections of truth.

Permalink Reply by Gerry Regan on December 28, 2013 at 9:59pm

Haven't seen it yet, but I understand Gleeson lives in Connemara. Perhaps you'll run into him, Ryan. 

Permalink Reply by Kelly O'Rourke on December 30, 2013 at 5:03pm

**SPOILERS**:

I hope it was exaggerated as regards the corruption of the gardai!  I think it showcased the Irish talent for satirizing themselves.

Not to start a whole gun-control debate here, but I did find it maddening that Gleeson's character had to steal guns off the local IRA lads in order to take down the drug dealers.  Even worse, the poor guard, McBride is completely helpless at the hands of the gangsters he pulls over.  He is unarmed, as are most of the guards here.  An American cop would never be in this situation.  Then again, an American cop would probably have gotten into a shoot-out with the gang, with the sad result being the same.  Alas, my anguished confusion over the gun control issue is not resolved by a dark comedy - shock!

Gleeson and Cheadle were great (as usual for both.)  I also loved the supporting cast of highly recognizable Connemara characters (quirky farm kid, punky drunk young man, cowboy-hat-wearing IRA guy, indignant Gaelgeoir couple).  Great stuff.  Of course the best performance of all was the corpse holding the potted plant (my neighbor, Declan.) 

Permalink Reply by Susan McWilliams Lev-Yadun on December 31, 2013 at 10:44am

Hi! I've seen "The Guard" twice in the past year or so. It comes on one of our satellite movie channels. Gleeson is great. My teenagers knew him for his role of "Mad-Eye Moody" in the Harry Potter movies, and I've also seen him playing a small part in "Cold Mountain", where he plays the fiddle. He is also an Irish speaker, and did the narration for "Seachtar Na Casca", a seven-part television series on the seven signatories of the Proclamation of the Republic in Easter,1916. While visiting Capri last May, a Dubliner I met told me I must see "In Bruges", with Gleeson and Colin Farrell, another great Irish actor, and I have since seen this as well. The latter is a much darker film, to my mind. 

Permalink Reply by Susan McWilliams Lev-Yadun on December 31, 2013 at 10:55am

Yes, I was trying to figure that out, and I see that there are two brothers who each did one of these movies.