The Guard - big trouble in Leitir Móir

When I think of rural Galway, I think of rain, drinking, rain, Gaeilgeoirs, rain and misery. I don't think of action films, lest of all I don't think of an action film with an irreverent garda mouthing off at everyone.

This film has an amazing cast; Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham and Mark Strong are the main players in this little dance. Gleeson is the stereotypical garda, he throws his weight around curses, insults and whores it up. His off the wall character is balanced by Cheadle's straight man act, which leads to the perfect clash of cultures when the two are in the pub throwing it back and forth. Gleeson manages to be the personification of political incorrectness and to pull it off effortlessly.

Cunningham and Strong play the drug dealers, Cunningham is great as a cheeky Dublin scumbag and himself and Strong are the perfect team both clever intelligent and unable to comprehend the incompetence of the Gardai. The best dialogue belongs to Strong when he is giving a bribe and is choking on his rage at the stupidity of the people he is working with.

This film is a beautifully crafted art piece which manages to make the buddy film work; it isn't just pure comedy and manages to have dark and brooding in places. From the trailer you'd think Gleeson's character is all fun, games and sex; while in reality he is a complicated character who is able to be honest and gentle, he has to deal with serious feelings of loss and regret as the film goes on.

What I was surprised by was how the movie showcases the idiosyncrasies of the west and takes a swipe at the way Irish people deal with certain things. The casual way that Irish people deal with racism in their daily lives; the casual comments about English people when describing Strong's character, the comments about America and the classy lines Gleeson throws out during a briefing. My favourite part of the film shows the parochial nature of some Irish people, the refusal to talk to the "blow-ins"; when answering the door to Cheadle a family of gaeilgheoirs refuse to talk to him in English. Their refusal not to talk is not rooted in a dislike of the duinne gorm but in their genuine belief that being Irish means speaking Irish and that you can go to England if you want English.

I can't describe how good this film truly is, it keeps you laughing and on the edge or your seat for the next quip or jib. The best thing about this film is Gleeson's performance, he is the quintessential guard he may let things slide but he is out to protect the people of the community, he even deals with the IRA but in a way that brow beats them into leaving him be. What I enjoyed most from the performance was the constant question of whether or not he is playing the fool or indeed is one, which face he wears on the inside I’ll leave to you to decide.