“Who was up there firing that cannon?… The FBI lad, probably hadn’t had this much fun since they burned all those kids up in Waco”
‘The Guard’ turned up on my doorstep yesterday from LoveFilm after hearing many good things about it. Following many memorable character parts Brendan Gleeson gets the chance to attack a lead role with gusto. He found a character that fits him like a glove, that of argumentative, flippant, insubordinate and foul-mouthed Irish cop Sergeant Gerry Boyle who does his best to hide his intelligent and noble depths. Gleeson’s portrayal is so charming that it left me wanting to spend more time with this richly nuanced creation on a weekly prime time TV style basis.
Boyle is drawn into the hunt for a trio of drug smugglers by visiting FBI agent Wendell Everett, played by Don Cheadle. Everett is a professional, by-the-numbers man who essentially plays the straight man to Boyle and a whole cast of crazy characters. Cheadle does a fine line in exasperated expressions at the strange world he has landed in… the west of Ireland but it may as well have been mars. ‘The Guard’ is packed with huge belly laughs yet it’ll also bring a few tears to your eyes… a warm and stylish modern classic!
Take Me To Your Cinema 