DEAD MAN'S SHOES

Largely known for his low key tales of working class life in England’s Midlands, Shane Meadows rose to prominence after the release of his debut feature 24/7 which starred Bob Hoskins as an aging boxing trainer who converts a group of listless teenagers to the pugilistic arts. While collaborating with his A Room for Romeo Brass star Paddy Considine on a low-budget comedy script, the piece eventually evolved into a dark thriller. Despite the shift in genres, Meadows approached the material with the same eye for social realism and character oriented storytelling.

Ex-soldier Richard returns to his home town after a long period of absence. During his time away, Richard’s learning disabled younger brother Anthony has been horribly mistreated by the ‘wide boys’ and small time drug dealers that populate the town.
Richard has returned with one goal: vengeance and to ensure that the cruelty inflicted on his brother won’t ever be forgotten.

Seventies inspired in its execution, Dead Man’s Shoes roots itself firmly in the vigilante revenge films of that era such as Death Wish, Deliverance and Straw Dogs. At times channeling Peckinpah’s unerring depiction of cruelty and violence and Alan Clarke’s (Scum, Made in Britain) bleak portrayal of life in rural working class England, Meadows changes genre gears with admirable ability. The undeniable soul of the film is Considine, in an incendiary central performance that drifts from unpredictable menace and tightly coiled rage to heart broken sorrow without ever missing a beat. Held against similarly plotted revenge thrillers that barely raise a spark, Dead Man’s Shoes is a napalm intense blast to the face.