The Guard: Blu Ray Review
The Guard
Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Ent
It's back to slightly scabrous ways for this comedy about an Irish
Garda played with great gusto by Brendan Gleeson, who's on somewhat
of a career relaunch following In Bruges.
Gleeson is Sergeant Gerry Boyle, an Irish cop who loves the whoring
and the drinking but is at heart, an old fashioned copper, prone to
a bit of casual racism and abuse - however, he still believes in
the law.
So his relatively quiet life is somewhat ruined by the arrival of a
corpse, an American FBI Agent (a brilliant turn by Don Cheadle) and
an attempt to shut down a massive drug smuggling racket run in his
neck of the woods.
Darkly ironic, sardonic and sarcastic, this film's essentially a
buddy cop film with one major difference - Gleeson.
His perfect timing and F bomb peppered delivery gives the film the
tone it needs to set it apart from the rest of its genre and while
the start of the filum (to quote the Irish vernacular) feels fresh
and different, it does sag a little towards two thirds of the way
through.
That said, there's enough to give it the oomph it needs to race to
the finish line with another great character turn from the ever
dependable Mark Strong.
Cheadle and Gleeson are a great pair and a sharp script brings out
their very best - even if it is some of the most un politically
correct material you've heard in a long time. Although Boyle's
comments during the initial FBI briefing are just frankly hilarious
as he bandies around as many stereotypes as you can imagine.
However, he's not just all unPC and whoring; thanks to Gleeson's
clever portrayal and some script smarts, he's got a tender side
when dealing with his dying mother.
There's just something witty about this darkly black tale of The
Guard and while the story runs out a little toward the end, the
humour will have you smiling throughout thanks to the great buddy
dynamic between Cheadle and Gleeson.
Extras: Behind the scenes featurette, deleted and extended scenes
and short film
Rating: 8/10
