The Guard

It is not often that we get films from Ireland. However it does help when they feature two familiar actors.

This film is very much about character. The tag line for this film is: 'Is he really motherf**king dumb or is he really motherf**king smart?'. Sergeant Gerry Boyle is part of a long tradition in cinema of characters in authority who are unconventional. Living in a small village/town Gerry can basically do things however he likes. Not much goes on so he can take time off whenever he likes. So Gerry walks that very thin line where in some instances he comes off as a bit clueless but in others he is very clever. His motivations are never quite clear which is part of the fun of this film. You never know what he is going to do or say and so you are constantly surprised. As is the norm with this situation you have this unconventional character meet a conventional character. It is also typical fish-out-of-water with an American character in another country. Americans always have trouble when ever they set foot outside their own country. The great thing about the plot of the film is that it takes a more realistic look at how drugs are imported. The people doing the importing are how you imagine drug importers to look. Most films glamorise the way drugs are transported but this film nicely sends that up.

Brendan Gleeson is perfect as Gerry. Brendan does not get many leading roles so it is nice to see him front and centre. He is brilliant as playing the comedy and the drama of any situation. Don Cheadle kind of plays the straight man in this duo as he struggles to understand how his partner operates. Much like many audience members, myself included, Don has trouble understanding what these town folks are saying.

An excellent comedy from the country that everyone loves to make fun of. Highly recommended is you want to see a realistic display of drug trafficking.