Though enhanced by cramped, gritty camerawork, this unsettling look at violence and revenge lacks the provocative edge needed to give it a substantial kick.
Though enhanced by cramped, gritty camerawork, this unsettling look at violence and revenge lacks the provocative edge needed to give it a substantial kick.
Richard (Paddy Considine of In America) returns to the rural region of Derbyshire, where he grew up, after seven years in the military. His mentally challenged brother, Anthony (newcomer Toby Kebbell), tags along. Something awful has happened to Anthony, and Richard means to set things right. Richard angrily confronts Herbie (Stuart Wolfenden), a small-time drug dealer, in the local pub, then creepily apologizes to him a few minutes later outside. Herbie runs to his mates and tells them what
happened, but before they have a chance to respond, they find that they're targets. Richard starts out with relatively harmless pranks, vandalizing their houses and painting their faces while they're asleep. Sonny (former boxer Gary Stretch), the gang's bullying leader, confronts Richard on the street, but Richard refuses to back down. Sonny's ragtag crew are ill equipped to respond to Richard's ruthless military tactics. As Richard inexorably goes about his business, and the bodies begin to pile up, we learn, through flashbacks, what happened to Anthony. Dead Man's Shoes was directed by Shane Meadows (Once Upon a Time in the Midlands), who co-wrote the script with Considine. The film had its U.S. premiere at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
In a swift 86 minutes, director Meadows and co-writer/star Considine give us a methodical, handsome, emotionally intelligent version of the revenge flick.
Isn't a mess, but it's sure no competition for Winchester 73, Once Upon a Time in the West or even Kill Bill, films in which payback really is a bitch.
Startlingly powerful, slightly loopy take on the revenge flick . . . offers a wry authenticity that the too-stylish, tough guys and gals in Tarantino's wanna-be-epics of retribution can't exude.
Atuações formidáveis (especialmente de Considine) em um filme moralmente ambíguo que, ao mesmo tempo em que funciona como maravilhosa releitura de Carter, o Vingador, analisa a natureza retroalimentadora da violência.
Unfortunately, the absence of emotionally engaging characters, combined with the cast's thick, unintelligible accents, undermines what could have been a taut and provocative exploration on the moral price of vengeance.
Gritty, emotionally powerful, raw and what British Films should be made of. With an almost frightening reality to it, none of the cast could be faulted.This was the film that introduced me to the collaboration of Shane Meadows and Paddy Considine and as a result I became a huge fan of their individual works..Still
very much my favourite British film and proof that good film making doesn't have to have a big budget or high tech effects. Mind games, intimidation and revenge are the power behind this story. I've seen many non-Brits class this as a horror even a Slasher (which is a bit of an insult I feel), but it's too real and passionate to be that.Finally it's only when you look over this film time and time again you come to understand what a great role Toby Kebbell also played in this.Yes I never stop praising this fillm, it epitomizes everything that can be great from a low budget film and it's one hell of a revenge movie.
An amazingly heart felt and empowering slasher flick that puts the method back into the madness and for once, gives us a killer with a motive and small budget. No elaborate traps, haunting scenary or dramatic turns - just one man set to exact revenge on those who have harmed his own. Crushingly honest, brutal dialogue
and some of the best acting I have ever seen come from this fair isle, this film is a very good one indeed. It leaves me wondering whether Hollywood should take a glance over to the UK to see how real pain can be on screen without the need of million of dollars or twisty turny plots - Dead Man's Shoes proves that all you need to make a film great is people that are good at their jobs - cast, crew and audience. Amazing.
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