Dead Man's Shoes (2004)

A disaffected soldier returns to his hometown to get even with the thugs who brutalized his mentally-challenged brother years ago.

Director:

Shane Meadows

Writers:

Paddy Considine, Shane Meadows

Stars:

Paddy Considine, Gary Stretch, Toby Kebbell

4 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paddy Considine	...	Richard
Gary Stretch	...	Sonny
Toby Kebbell	...	Anthony
Stuart Wolfenden	...	Herbie
Neil Bell	...	Soz
Paul Sadot	...	Tuff
Seamus O'Neill	...	Big Al (as Seamus O'Neal)
Jo Hartley	...	Marie
Paul Hurstfield	...	Mark
Emily Aston	...	Patti
George Newton	...	Gypsy John
Craig Considine	...	Craig
Matt Considine	...	Matthew
Andrew Shim	...	Elvis
Arthur Meadows	...	Mourner

Storyline

Richard returns home from military service to a small town in the Midlands. He has one thing on his mind: revenge. Payback for the local bullies who did some very bad things to his brother. At first his campaign employs guerrilla tactics, designed to frighten the men and put them ill at ease. But then he steps up his operation, and one by one these local tough guys are picked off by the terrifying angel of vengeance that Richard has become.

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Plot Keywords:

revenge | torture | army veteran | anger | brother brother relationship | 

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Taglines:

He's in all of us.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Richard breaks into the flat he spray paints "Cheyne Stoking" on the wall. In very sick patients, this is the name of the breathing pattern that is a sign of impending death.

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Goofs

Anthony is wearing Adidas Popper Pants in the film, including the flashback scenes. If the flashback scenes were from eight years years ago, it would have been 1996. Adidas Popper Pants weren't released until 1997.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Richard: [narrating] God will forgive them. He'll forgive them and allow them into Heaven. I can't live with that.

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Connections

References One Million Years B.C. (1966)

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Soundtracks

Ritual Road Map
Written by J. Burns and J. Convertino
Performed by Calexico
With kind permission of Quarterstick Records
Licensed by Bug Music Limited on behalf of Good Clean Dirt and Lunada Bay

User Reviews

A subtle, precise slice at revenge.

Dead Man's Shoes has been compared to Get Carter by critics, which while a good comparison, Dead Man's Shoes is a different breed of revenge film.

Naturlism is the order of the day, a common feature in Shane Meadows' films (A Room For Romeo Brass, 24/7) where Richard, an ex-marine, returns to his home town to exact revenge on the petty drug dealers that abused his retarded brother. Far more than your average revenge movie, Considine elevates it into a terrifying area, electrifying every frame he is in. You will laugh at the drug dealer's talk of porn and "al fresco" - but the minute Considine enters, the laughter stops. Totally believable, and the drug dealers (Gary Stretch and others) are fantastic support too.

The story is not as developed as I hoped it would've been, sometimes creating frustrating anti-climaxes here and there, but this is only a minor problem. The killings are well thought out, scary and well paced throughout. The plot, although simple (initially) does become a more twisted prospect towards the end - so it is a highly rewarding movie. Being only 86 minutes long helps a lot too, as the movie runs at a brisk pace, just right for it's genre.

Along with Get Carter, this is one of the best revenge films, and one of the best thrillers to come out of the U.K. The cinematography is bluntly physical and realistic, the music well implemented and the acting spot on. To add variety, the movie adds dark humour to create a great film. People who are expecting a blood-fuelled rampage of retribution ala Kill Bill will be disappointed. Dead Man's Shoes is an expertly delivered thriller, with subtle tension and great performances.

Well worth a watch.

8/10

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 October 2004 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

Dead Man's Shoes

Filming Locations:

Bonsall, Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

GBP695,393 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,825, 14 May 2006

Gross USA:

$6,408

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$203,450

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warp Films, Big Arty Productions, EM Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White (flashback scenes) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1