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The Guard (Irish film with Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle)

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    #92
    Liam O
    Registered Users Posts: 19,083 ✭✭✭✭Liam O


    Benny_Cake wrote: »
    Just to nitpick, she was Croatian, so she would need a visa!
    Wasn't she Romanian? ;)


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    #93
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,471 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    margio wrote: »
    just went to see film tonight, it was good, i left just as they were going through the cast, so just wondering after that bit did they return to
    what actually happened to Brendan Gleeson's character, or are we just left to wonder whether he survived or what
    Yep, just left to wonder what happened. I assumed he survived to fight another day due to the big deal that was made about his swimming prowess earlier in the film. Not sure if they'll gross enough to generate a sequel but the door is open for it.


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    #94
    Benny_Cake
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,205 ✭✭✭Benny_Cake


    Liam O wrote: »
    Wasn't she Romanian? ;)

    Croatian,Romanian - whats the difference ;)


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    #95
    Turkana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 99 ✭✭Turkana


    don ramo wrote: »
    veronica guerin, man about dog, intermission and then it just seemed to stop for no reason,

    Those films were feckin' shite.


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    #96
    LisaLee
    Registered Users Posts: 389 ✭✭LisaLee


    kippy wrote: »
    Yep, just left to wonder what happened. I assumed he survived to fight another day due to the big deal that was made about his swimming prowess earlier in the film. Not sure if they'll gross enough to generate a sequel but the door is open for it.

    Considering that the final song was
    'Leaving on a jet plane',
    I assume he went to live another day especially since he knew that the sh1t was going to hit the fan when his superiors found out. It was better for him to disappear.

    At least that was my understanding of it anyway.


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    #97
    The Maverick
    Registered Users Posts: 417 ✭✭The Maverick


    LisaLee wrote: »
    Considering that the final song was
    'Leaving on a jet plane',
    I assume he went to live another day especially since he knew that the sh1t was going to hit the fan when his superiors found out. It was better for him to disappear.

    At least that was my understanding of it anyway.

    I agree. He also mentioned how the
    drug dealers bosses would be after him and I suppose with his mother dead, there wasn't a lot left for him in Galway.


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    #98
    margio
    Registered Users Posts: 207 ✭✭margio


    i thought what might happen is that the IRA would do him a faver and take care of all the drug dealers, but he kinda did that himself


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    #99
    Shreddingblood
    Registered Users Posts: 791 ✭✭✭Shreddingblood


    Hilarious film. One of Gleesons best performances in my opinion.


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    #100
    Swash
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15 ✭Swash


    Went to see this tonight, went in with low expectations and loved it. Liked Brendan Gleeson in In Bruges but he was even better in this. Thoroughly enjoyed it.


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    #101
    stealinhorses
    Registered Users Posts: 774 ✭✭✭stealinhorses


    The gangsters' philosophical deliberations served me a great deal of laughter, in the same way as they did in "In Bruges" :). Gleeson was great as always. I felt the film could have been much better, but it was enjoyable for what it was.


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    #102
    Phony Scott
    Registered Users Posts: 682 ✭✭✭Phony Scott


    Buceph wrote: »
    I thought it was kind of funny. Even the sociopath obviously got a bit of reading done while he was in "The Joy."

    My recollection was that the conversation wasn’t germane to the plot. This happened in a number of scenes, but we’ll get to that again later. Fair enough, you can argue it was used to build his character, with his armchair philosophy on existentialism, only to really ponder it before his demise, sitting, if I remember correctly, in an armchair (boom boom). “Kind of funny” and “a little flat” is how I felt about the whole film. All that said, it makes me wonder why the exact same thing worked for me in 'In Bruges,' but not in this film...
    Buceph wrote: »
    Two bagmen? One of them was one of the high ranking guards.

    Sure, I am being completely pedantic on this, but they are still bagmen at the end of the day, no matter how high up...
    Buceph wrote: »
    And it was funny for exactly the reasons he outlined. He wanted something from them, why would he rip them off? It was a pisstake of stupid, lazy lines from other films and tv. Films and TV that the guards picking up the money would be basing their entire criminal dealings on. thatsthejoke.jpg

    As I originally pointed out, the film uses post-modernism for humour, but even this itself is pretty lazy almost twenty years on from similar gangster related films. You make it sound like I didn’t even get the joke. I found it amusing, but I didn’t laugh out loud.

    There’s a tiny bit of plot in this scene, then a repetitive joke which meanders on far too long. I felt I was being bludgeoned over the head with the joke, something that happened numerously throughout the film. It’s ultimately pointless and, to my recollection, doesn't pay-off later.
    Buceph wrote: »
    It was foreshadowing for Boyles eventual disappearance. The part where he meets her at night is to show her that someone cared that her husband/friend died and was going to do something about it. And his line about getting to know her better was either A) him showing the audience that he was going to his death or b) setting up a chain of evidence for his eventual disappearance.

    But that’s not my issue. My problem is with the necessity for her character in the first place. As far as I can see, if she wasn’t in the film, the outcome of the drug trafficking plot would still remain the same.
    Buceph wrote: »
    She obviously loved him. Loads of marriages based on visas are done between two friends. I know a couple who married so he could get an American visa. They had spent ages travelling and it was a deal between two friends who loved each other, but in a platonic way.

    Again, that wasn’t my issue. What had any of this got to do with the central plot on drug trafficking?
    Buceph wrote: »
    To further the story. To set up the connection between the guard, the woman and the murdered guard. To cast doubt on why he was murdered and to give Boyle something to ruminate over.

    Could you please explain this further and what this has to do with the drug trafficking?
    Buceph wrote: »
    The point of it was obviously to get the guns into Boyles hands. How many rural stations have automatic weapons in a locker for the local seargant to bust out? He couldn't call in the armed response unit because the decoy was set for Cork, and anyway, the higher ups he would have had to go through were all paid off.

    It never occured to me that the guards in rural areas have that problem. It's obvious now that you say it, but at that point in the film, my interest was waning. I'm open to the idea that if I didn't get these scenes, then I may have misread the whole film completely.
    Buceph wrote: »
    Of course your flummoxed. You seemed to watch the film "on autopilot." Maybe if you thought about it a bit you'd get it.

    I respected what you had to say up until this belittling remark. Considering you didn’t understand some of my comments, I could just as easily twist your own comments against you and make equally abusive remarks about you not putting thought into what I said. There’s no call for personal insults, even if I am wrong.

    Because so many people liked the film, I’m more than willing to give the film another viewing, but I could do without people ripping into me for having my opinion, right or wrong…


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    #103
    Tar.Aldarion
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,090 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tar.Aldarion


    Saw it tonight, myself and my girlfriend loved it. Thought it was the best film I've seen in a while. Great acting and boyle was very well written.


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    #104
    Paigne
    Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭Paigne


    Tar.Aldarion wrote: »
    Saw it tonight, myself and my girlfriend loved it. Thought it was the best film I've seen in a while. Great acting and boyle was very well written.

    Agree 100%, it was brilliant, and hilarious, generally in a film i give a 'heh' or a 'tss' at a good joke, but i was in stitches for a good bit of that film.


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    #105
    DjFlin
    Registered Users Posts: 1,089 ✭✭✭DjFlin


    Thought it was amazing.
    margio wrote: »
    just went to see film tonight, it was good, i left just as they were going through the cast, so just wondering after that bit did they return to
    what actually happened to Brendan Gleeson's character, or are we just left to wonder whether he survived or what
    I think the point of the way it ended was that there really is no answer to whether he lived or died.

    We're never given any solid proof that he really was in the Olympics, as Don Cheadle character pointed out.

    Maybe him mentioning to the RA head that they owe him one was insinuating that they'd protect him from the dealer bosses, maybe not.

    Maybe he managed to grab some drugs, swim off, and is kicking back on a beach somewhere. Maybe not.

    Maybe hes dead. Maybe not.

    I think thats what the director/writers wanted to happen, like in Inception. If you create a Did he/didnt he situation, people are going to talk about it for a lot longer.

    Personally, I like to think he got away.


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    #106
    Paigne
    Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭Paigne


    DjFlin - use spoilers for those who haven't seen it


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    #107
    DjFlin
    Registered Users Posts: 1,089 ✭✭✭DjFlin


    Sorry. Fixed it.


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    #108
    red dave
    Closed Accounts Posts: 845 ✭✭✭red dave


    Saw it the other day and thought it was ok. i think this film is overrated tbh.


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    #109
    Jimdagym
    Registered Users Posts: 3,843 ✭✭✭Jimdagym


    Really enjoyed this. Thought Cheadle was actually poor enough. Didnt need him, anyone could have done it, but its good to see such a high profile name involved in Irish Cinema. Gleeson was 5 star. Had it down pat. Sure, some of the subplots were unneccesary, but still a strong 4/5 from me.

    One thing.
    Why oh why do we need these ambiguous endings? Why cant we just have a happy ending and be done with it? I HATE films that dont hand me a happy ending.


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    #110
    Hurricane-Dean
    Registered Users Posts: 954 ✭✭✭Hurricane-Dean


    Saw it yesterday and I have to say it was brilliant, Gleeson made the film, agree with above, not really much need for Cheadle but good to see a big name.

    As for the ending as above
    you can pretty much gather he survived, he left the boat before it exploded and he was a keen swimmer, also he asked "what have I got to go back to after this? You can go back to the states". So he obviously wanted a quiet life after it and faked his death


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    #111
    dougs09
    Closed Accounts Posts: 257 ✭✭dougs09


    i didnt enjoy this at all, i went to it on the back of everyone telling me it was brilliant, so i was expecting a lot more, but, the whole humour of the movie was real dry sarcastic humour, some of it ok, but, the way i judge a movie, if i can come out and quote loads of quotes and make people laugh, well, after leaving it, i struggled to even remember any parts that really made me laugh, a very big let down, brendan gleeson though to be fair did play the role pretty much exactly the way an old timer guard would be like, so i cant fault him, the movie is way over rated imo


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    #112
    o1s1n
    Registered Users Posts: 34,614 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    dougs09 wrote: »
    i didnt enjoy this at all, i went to it on the back of everyone telling me it was brilliant, so i was expecting a lot more, but, the whole humour of the movie was real dry sarcastic humour, some of it ok, but, the way i judge a movie, if i can come out and quote loads of quotes and make people laugh, well, after leaving it, i struggled to even remember any parts that really made me laugh, a very big let down, brendan gleeson though to be fair did play the role pretty much exactly the way an old timer guard would be like, so i cant fault him, the movie is way over rated imo

    You judge a film by the amount of quotes you can get out of it? Er..right then. I judge a film on whether or not it was a good film.

    This is a good film.
    I really liked the ambiguous ending. But then again, I tend to enjoy ambiguous endings in films. I'd rather an ending made me think than hand me everything summed up on a platter!


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    #113
    Miguel_Sanchez
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,417 ✭✭✭Miguel_Sanchez


    Looks like John McDonagh and his missus don't take too well to a bit of criticism.

    Check out Mrs McDonagh's reply to a very mild observation that people in Ireland aren't blown away by The Guard:

    http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2011/07/el_guard-o.php


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    #114
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,471 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    Jeff_Lebowski wrote: »
    Looks like John McDonagh and his missus don't take too well to a bit of criticism.

    Check out Mrs McDonagh's reply to a very mild observation that people in Ireland aren't blown away by The Guard:

    http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2011/07/el_guard-o.php

    Do people really think that person is who they are saying they are?? Really? On the internet?


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    #115
    Miguel_Sanchez
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,417 ✭✭✭Miguel_Sanchez


    kippy wrote: »
    Do people really think that person is who they are saying they are?? Really? On the internet?

    Probably not but it's such a low level 'insult' to get riled up about it's hilarious. Even if you were a fan of the movie why would you bother?


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    #116
    aidan_walsh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,208 ✭✭✭✭aidan_walsh


    Jeff_Lebowski wrote: »
    Probably not but it's such a low level 'insult' to get riled up about it's hilarious. Even if you were a fan of the movie why would you bother?
    Have you seen YouTube? There are a lot of crazies out there.


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    #117
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,471 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    Jeff_Lebowski wrote: »
    Probably not but it's such a low level 'insult' to get riled up about it's hilarious. Even if you were a fan of the movie why would you bother?

    Yeah, have a look on youtube or almost any news site out there that has public comments allowed on it.
    Lots of crazies.........


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    #118
    Miguel_Sanchez
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,417 ✭✭✭Miguel_Sanchez


    aidan_walsh wrote: »
    Have you seen YouTube? There are a lot of crazies out there.

    Youtube you say? Haven't seen it. Is it out on DVD yet?


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    #119
    Roar
    Registered Users Posts: 7,426 ✭✭✭Roar


    Went to see The Guard tonight, thought it was a big pile of meh. Some funny lines here and there
    Undercover? Like in the mob like? no, you'd have to go to Limerick for that kind of excitement
    but a lot of things annoyed me with it, like Gleeson's "whesht" of Ireland accent (he's the only character in the entire feckin movie with that whesht BS), Don Cheadle having the charisma of a dead hedgehog in a cardboard box and a dozen other things I'd list only I'd rather not waste any more time with this movie tbh.

    If it came on TV in a few years on a Thursday night I'd say watch it, other than that I'd say skip it.

    One thing that bothered me was the
    subplot with his dying mother, it was entirely superfluous to the plot, and only in there to make our main character, a drug taking, work skiving, whore riding, borderline alcoholic sympathetic to the audience. When you're very aware of that watching a movie, it's not generally a good sign.


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    #120
    AnonoBoy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,559 ✭✭✭✭AnonoBoy


    Sure McDonagh admitted that he wrote it in 13 days. No wonder the plot's a bit obvious at points.


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    #121
    Dyr
    Registered Users Posts: 23,246 ✭✭✭✭Dyr


    AnonoBoy wrote: »
    Sure McDonagh admitted that he wrote it in 13 days. No wonder the plot's a bit obvious at points.

    What plot would that be? the drug bust one? Not sure that could even qualify as a plot :confused:

    they should have called it "tis another 48 hours"


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