Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Comedy thriller

The Guard (2011): Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Guard (2011) movie poster

The Guard is a 2011 comedy thriller directed by John Michael McDonagh. It runs 1 hour 36 minutes and earned $19.6 million worldwide on a $6 million budget. It won 3 awards from 9 nominations, including Actress in a Supporting Role in a Feature Film at the IFTA Awards 2012. Critics gave it 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10.

IMDb rating
7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes
94%
worldwide gross
$19.6M
awards won
3
Loading streaming availability…
The Guard (2011) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 36m (96 min)
Genres
Thriller , Comedy
Original language
English
Budget
$6M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Guard About?

The premise of The Guard without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A seasoned Irish police sergeant and an earnest FBI agent join forces in this darkly comedic thriller. Tasked with dismantling a drug cartel and exposing corruption within the local authorities, the pair’s contrasting approaches and personalities lead to humorous clashes as they work together. Their investigation takes them through the complexities of small-town Ireland, where they face danger and unexpected alliances.

The Guard Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • ireland
  • gay policeman
  • small town
  • drug smuggling
  • galway ireland
  • mother son relationship
  • police corruption
  • rural ireland
  • shot in the head
  • riding a bicycle with training wheels
  • interrogation
  • drinking from a flask
+38 more
  • morgue
  • reference to bertrand russell
  • shot in the back
  • shot multiple times
  • police officer shot
  • swimming in the ocean
  • reference to kris kristofferson
  • white horse
  • prostitute
  • forensic team
  • ak 47
  • reference to john wilkes booth
  • public aquarium
  • close up of mouth
  • police dress uniform
  • shot in the chest
  • unloading a cargo
  • boat fire
  • arm sling
  • man uses a cane
  • man wears a wetsuit
  • woman wears a merry widow
  • scene of the crime
  • mugshot
  • deadpan comedy
  • attempted murder
  • fbi federal bureau of investigation
  • violence
  • german car
  • ford mondeo
  • ford capri
  • mercedes benz s klasse
  • mercedes benz s class
  • mercedes benz s klasse w126
  • female police officer
  • female police officer costume
  • directed by writer
  • implied threesome
Loading streaming availability…
Crew

The Director of The Guard

Directed by John Michael McDonagh.

From the director

More from John Michael McDonagh

More films directed by John Michael McDonagh, best-rated first: Calvary, War on Everyone and The Forgiven.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Guard Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Guard 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10.

Plot

The Guard Plot Summary

What happens in The Guard from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Sergeant Gerry Boyle, portrayed by Brandon Gleeson, serves as a brash officer in the Garda Siochana, stationed in Connemara, Ireland. Known for his crass demeanor and confrontational nature, he often indulges in drugs and alcohol, even while on duty. Despite these flaws, Boyle has a deep emotional side, particularly evident in his care for his terminally ill mother, Eileen, played by Fionnula Flanagan, who has only 6-8 weeks left to live and resides in a nursing home for proper care.

Full summary

The whole story of The Guard, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Guard Box Office & Budget

The Guard grossed $19.6 million worldwide on a $6 million budget, 3.3 times what it cost. $5.4 million came from the US and Canada and $14.2 million (73%) from the rest of the world.

2011 box office

Worldwide gross

$19.6M

3.3× its budget

US & Canada
$5.4M
International
$14.2M
Budget
$6M
US & Canada 27% Rest of the world 73%
Awards

The Guard Awards & Nominations

The Guard won 3 awards from 9 nominations, including Actress in a Supporting Role in a Feature Film at the IFTA Awards 2012. Its biggest night was the IFTA Awards 2012, with 3 wins from 6 nominations.

3 wins9 nominations4 ceremonies

Videos

The Guard Trailers & Videos

2 videos: 2 trailers.

The Guard | Official Trailer HD (2011)
  • Trailer The Guard Trailer - 2011
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Guard?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is the main character of 'The Guard'?

Cars

Cars in The Guard

13 cars on screen, including the 2001 Ford Mondeo MkIII and the 1984 Ford Capri MkIII.

All 13 cars
  • 2001 Ford Mondeo MkIII in The Guard 2001 Ford Mondeo MkIII Main role
  • 1984 Ford Capri MkIII in The Guard 1984 Ford Capri MkIII Important role
  • 1980 Mercedes-Benz 280 SEL W126 in The Guard 1980 Mercedes-Benz 280 SEL W126 Important role
  • 1996 Honda Integra Type R in The Guard 1996 Honda Integra Type R Minor role
Details

The Guard Also Known As

28 alternative titles, including “L'Irlandais” and “A Guardista”.

Also known as
  • L'Irlandais
  • A Guardista
  • O Guarda
  • 坏守卫
  • El irlandés
  • 國民警衛隊
  • El Guardia
  • Вбити ірландця
  • Pomáhať a chrániť
  • The Guard - Ein Ire sieht schwarz
  • Un poliziotto da happy hour
  • Однажды в Ирландии
+16 more
  • İrlandalı
  • Gliniarz
  • 国民警卫队
  • Pomáhat a chránit
  • Εκτός Νόμου και Χρόνου
  • שומר חוק
  • 더 가드
  • Ірландець
  • Sargs
  • Sergėtojas
  • Големият полицай от малкия град
  • Lực Lượng Cảnh Sát
  • Gardianul
  • 看守員
  • ദി ഗാർഡ്
  • L’irlandès

Seen The Guard?

FAQ

The Guard FAQ: Box Office, Awards & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Guard, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Guard?

The Guard runs 1 hour 36 minutes (96 minutes).

When was The Guard released?

The Guard was released on July 29, 2011.

Who directed The Guard?

The Guard was directed by John Michael McDonagh.

More films by John Michael McDonagh

How much did The Guard make at the box office?

The Guard grossed $19.6 million worldwide ($5.4 million domestic, $14.2 million international) on a budget of $6 million.

How is The Guard rated?

The Guard has 7.3/10 on IMDb, 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 78 on Metacritic and 70% on TMDB.

What awards did The Guard win?

The Guard won 3 awards from 9 nominations, including Actress in a Supporting Role in a Feature Film at the IFTA Awards 2012.

Does The Guard have a post-credit scene?

No. The Guard has no extra scene during or after the credits.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app