The 2008 black comedy, “In Bruges” was one of the most original films of the last few years. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson starred as two hitmen waiting in Belgium after a job gone wrong. But writer-director Martin McDonagh is also a playwright, so we haven’t been graced with another film from him yet. There’s good news, though: John Michael McDonagh has now made his first feature, and he’s just as talented as his brother. “The Guard” also stars Brendan Gleeson, this time on the other side of the law. He’s Sergeant Gerry Boyle, a policeman in a small town near Galway, in west Ireland. To his superior in the city, he’s a complete idiot. But the savvy viewer will realize he’s just taking the mickey and enjoying taking advantage of those who underestimate him. That’s on full parade when he and the other area cops attend a briefing given by FBI agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle). Everett explains that drug smugglers are working in the area; Boyle reveals one of them was murdered in his district. It looks like the makings of a typical mismatched cop team movie. But this film is, as “In Bruges,” like no other.
I have my doubts that this movie could have been made without Gleeson. Gerry Boyle is a singular creation, and he’s brought to merry life through the considerable talents of the Irish actor. One minute he’ll be sitting in the pub, looking to be avoiding work, the next he’ll be driving Everett to a crime scene and talking about his favorite philosophers. His potty mouth would embarrass a sailor. His day off involves a trip to the city and a couple of winsome prostitutes. And, as I said, he loves to take the mickey. Speaking of the FBI agent, he deadpans, “It’s probably the most fun he’s had since killing all those kids at Waco.”
| ONSCREEN |
| ‘The Guard’ |
| » Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars |
| » Stars: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle |
| » Director: John Michael McDonagh |
| » Rated: R for pervasive language, some violence, drug material, and sexual content |
| » Running time: 96 minutes |
Yes, this is a foul-mouthed comedy, filled with outrageous gags. But unlike most other movies with plenty of gunplay and profanity, you’ll actually think about the film — and remember its remarkable title character — long after you’ve finishing watching it. The McDonagh brothers, we now know, share a talent for writing clever dialogue that’s funnier than almost anything else out there and using it to create dark movies with outstanding and outlandish performances. With debuts this good, a film lover can’t help but anxiously await whatever they come up with next.
