MesmeroWatch list, 0 saved

Movie
Poster for The Guard

The Guard

2011 · 96 min

A wry, offbeat buddy-cop comedy with a dark edge, carried by a charismatic, politically incorrect lead and sharp dialogue.

Directed by
John Michael McDonagh
Genres
Action, Comedy, Thriller
Starring
Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham
Tagline
The FBI are about to discover that things work a little differently around here.
Overview
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.

Your rating is saved. See your suggestions, or find titles like this one below.

Rate it, and Mesmero finds titles that feel like it. You do not need an account.

Search YouTube for a trailer

Add to a list: The Guard

You have no lists yet. Name one, and this title goes into it.

All your lists

Stream in the UK
  • Studiocanal Presents Amazon Channel
More options Data from JustWatch
Directed by
John Michael McDonagh
Genres
Action, Comedy, Thriller
Starring
Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • cynicalstrength 3 of 3
  • darkstrength 2 of 3
  • satiricalstrength 2 of 3
  • absurdstrength 2 of 3
Pacing
measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • crime
  • corruption
  • identity
  • isolation
  • morality
Places
  • small town
  • countryside
Era
contemporary
Audience
adult
Form
  • twist ending
Content intensity
  • Gore mild
  • Language strong
  • Violence strong
  • Sex mild
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action6
Horror2
Humour8
Realism7
Romance1
Tension6
Darkness6
Complexity6
Emotional weight5

More like this

Titles like The Guard

Movie

War on Everyone

2016

A gleefully nasty buddy-cop ride that mixes brutal violence with deadpan wit, keeping you amused and uneasy in equal measure.

Same director: John Michael McDonagh · Cynical, dark · about crime and corruption · twist ending

Also
Same director: John Michael McDonagh
Via
  • cynical
  • dark
  • crime
  • corruption
  • twist ending
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
98 min
Details
War on EveryoneHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Nice Guys

2016

A scrappy, funny noir romp with slapstick violence and a surprisingly warm father-daughter heart.

Cynical, dark · about crime and corruption · twist ending

Via
  • cynical
  • dark
  • crime
  • corruption
  • twist ending
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
116 min
Details
The Nice GuysHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Hot Fuzz

2007

A gleefully overstuffed love letter to action movies, blending small-town mystery with explosive, joke-dense mayhem and genuine warmth.

Satirical, absurd · about crime · twist ending

Via
  • satirical
  • absurd
  • crime
  • twist ending
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
121 min
Details
Hot FuzzHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Departed

2006

A tense, grim cat-and-mouse game where every conversation feels like a trap and trust is impossible.

Cynical, dark · about crime and identity · twist ending

Via
  • cynical
  • dark
  • crime
  • identity
  • twist ending
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
151 min
Details
The DepartedHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Fargo

1996

A wry, snowbound crime story that balances quirky humor with sudden violence and a warm, pregnant detective's calm persistence.

Cynical, dark · about crime · twist ending

Via
  • cynical
  • dark
  • crime
  • twist ending
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
98 min
Details
FargoHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Training Day

2001

A sweaty, nerve-jangling ride through LA's underworld that keeps you tense and morally off-balance from start to finish.

Cynical, dark · about crime and corruption · twist ending

Via
  • cynical
  • dark
  • crime
  • corruption
  • twist ending
Pacing
relentless
Attention
engaged
Runtime
122 min
Details
Training DayHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

2009

A hallucinatory, darkly funny descent into corruption and addiction, anchored by a wild, unpredictable performance.

Cynical, dark · about crime and corruption

Via
  • cynical
  • dark
  • crime
  • corruption
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
122 min
Details
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New OrleansHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

2005

A fast, funny, self-aware noir romp that keeps winking at the audience while piling on twisty crime chaos.

Cynical, dark · about crime and identity · twist ending

Via
  • cynical
  • dark
  • crime
  • identity
  • twist ending
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
103 min
Details
Kiss Kiss Bang BangHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Banshees of Inisherin

2022

A slow, gorgeous, quietly devastating watch where small cruelties and stubborn pride curdle into something bleakly funny and deeply sad.

Cynical, dark · about isolation

Via
  • cynical
  • dark
  • isolation
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
engaged
Runtime
114 min
Details
The Banshees of InisherinHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Other Guys

2010

Silly, fast-talking buddy-cop comedy that coasts on deadpan absurdity and sudden bursts of action, ending on a surprisingly pointed financial sting.

Satirical, absurd · about crime and corruption

Via
  • satirical
  • absurd
  • crime
  • corruption
Pacing
brisk
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
107 min
Details
The Other GuysHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Gentlemen

2019

A stylish, fast-talking crime caper with sharp twists, dark laughs, and a constant sense of menace beneath the banter.

Cynical, satirical · about crime · twist ending

Via
  • cynical
  • satirical
  • crime
  • twist ending
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
113 min
Details
The GentlemenHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

American Made

2017

A slick, fast-paced ride through 1980s excess, mixing dark comedy with true-crime thrills and a charismatic antihero.

Cynical, satirical · about crime and corruption

Via
  • cynical
  • satirical
  • crime
  • corruption
Pacing
brisk
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
115 min
Details
American MadeHidden from your suggestions.

Where to watch in the UK

Stream
  • Studiocanal Presents Amazon Channel
Rent
  • Apple TV Store
  • Rakuten TV
  • Amazon Video
  • Sky Store
  • BFI Player
  • YouTube
Buy
  • Apple TV Store
  • Rakuten TV
  • Amazon Video
  • YouTube

Streaming data from JustWatch.All options on TMDB

Details

Genres
action, comedy, thriller, crime
Directed by
John Michael McDonagh
Written by
John Michael McDonagh
Starring
Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, Mark Strong, Katarina Čas, David Wilmot, Rory Keenan, Laurence Kinlan
Music
John Convertino, Calexico
Cinematography
Larry Smith
Runtime
96 min
Country
Ireland, United Kingdom, United States of America
Languages
Irish, English

TMDBIMDbLetterboxdWikipediaWikidata

Something wrong on this page? Tell us.