Dead Man's Shoes (2004)

Dead Man’s Shoes: Directed by Shane Meadows. With Paddy Considine, Gary Stretch, Toby Kebbell, Stuart Wolfenden. A disaffected soldier returns to his hometown to get even with the thugs who brutalized his mentally-challenged brother years ago.

“If you do not like dark, challenging films, donu0026#39;t bother.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIf you are ready for something unlike anything youu0026#39;ve ever seen, and are not afraid to confront difficult emotions, give this film a go, you wonu0026#39;t be disappointed.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFrom the start the tone is set. A bleak town in Northern England, like many bleak towns in northern England. With petty, small time drug dealers, like petty small time drug dealers everywhere, vicious and stupid. Then into their lives comes a mysterious figure, in a green parka. And nothing will ever be the same.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eItu0026#39;s difficult to describe the movie without spoilers, and I do not want to spoil a single second of what is possibly the most powerful and emotionally wrenching film I have seen for a decade and more (made all the more powerful by the haunting music). Paddy Considine (who wrote and stars in the film) is stunning as, for want of a better phrase, an avenging angel, albeit a fallen one. The menace and tension builds and builds (including perhaps the best depiction of a bad LSD trip ever set down on film – itu0026#39;s an extremely discomforting experience if youu0026#39;ve ever been on the wrong end of a bad trip, believe me) until the harrowing climax. This is not a nice film. This is not a fun film. This is, however, an exceptional film, and perhaps more importantly it is an honest film, a true film if such a thing can be said of fiction.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIf you want smiles, or empty action, or to put your brain on hold, this is not the film for you.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIf, however, you want a film with genuine emotional depth, that makes you think and resonates far after the end credits have finished, then this may be what youu0026#39;re looking for.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eJust donu0026#39;t expect an easy ride.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAn overused word, but the closest Iu0026#39;ve seen to a masterpiece for many a long year.”