The Guard
Seen it?2011 | 96 min | Action, Comedy, Thriller, Crime
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (94% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it drew serious awards attention. Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime fans, anyone who likes to be kept guessing and anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved Close Range, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Light and funny, tense.
- The pace
- Fast-moving, at 1 hr 36 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: expect drug use.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
When a small-town Irish cop with a crass personality is partnered with a straight-laced FBI agent to bust an international drug-trafficking ring, they must settle their differences in order to take down a dangerous gang.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 78 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.0 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Won 1 Berlin award: Berlin International Film Festival: Best Debut Film – Honorable Mention. Also nominated for 1 Golden Globe and 1 BAFTA. Plus 14 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$21 million worldwide on a $6 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 117K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
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Close Range
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Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by John Michael McDonagh
- Brendan GleesonSergeant Gerry Boyle
- Don CheadleFBI agent Wendell Everett
- Liam CunninghamFrancis Sheehy
- Mark StrongClive Cornell
- Katarina ČasGabriela McBride
- David WilmotLiam O'Leary
- Rory KeenanGarda Aidan McBride
- Laurence KinlanPhotographer
- Dominique McElligottAoife O'Carroll
- Sarah GreeneSinead Mulligan