I've seen this film three times, and it simply is incredibly complete. Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle are great in both the comedic and dramatic scenes, and especially good playing off each other. It works as a buddy cop movie and as a wry commentary on the genre, all the way until the photographer's wry meta-commentary signals the merging of the two at the end. Consistently unexpected and original, it captures the Irish penchant for deadpan humor very effectively -- and while there are some significant differences in approach, I left the theater with a respect for the director's craft that I only reliably experience with the Coen brothers.
Review of The Guard
