Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2055 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-03-21
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 87 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Harrowing thriller about a hotwired ex-soldier (co-scripter Paddy Considine from Cinderella Man) who returns to his sleepy Midlands hometown to dole out merciless revenge upon the booze and drug-sodden hoodlums who abused his mentally handicapped younger brother (the astonishing Toby Kebbel). Director Shane Meadows (Once Upon a Time in the Midlands) doesn't shy away from delivering scenes of gripping suspense and violence, but the end result hews closer to an ambiguous meditation on the nature and effect of vengeance a la Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs than a Death Wish-style grindhouse effort. Taut and thought-provoking, Dead Man's Shoes is a must-see for indie film aficionados with a taste for the grittiest of fare. The DVD includes some rollicking commentary by Meadows, Considine, and producer Mark Herbert; an intriguing and heartfelt featurette on Meadows and his own violent past as a teenage skinhead in 1980s England, from which he drew inspiration for this film; and an alternate (and somewhat less satisfying) final scene. -- Paul Gaita

Special Features
Commentary with Shane Meadows, Paddy Considine and Producer Mark Herbert Deleted Scenes & Extended Takes Alternate Ending ‘In Shane's Shoes’ Documentary Danger Mouse Music Video Graphic novel animated sequences- ‘Northern Soul’ – a short film by Shane Meadows with music by Clayhill Hidden Extra - Commentary Out-takes

Synopsis
Two brothers, Richard and Anthony, return to their hometown. Setting up camp in the hills overlooking the town, they reminisce over their past. But Richard has not returned for the memories, he's returned for revenge...

Customer Reviews

"They're all dead. I executed 'em.'
It seems almost pointless to add to the numerous reviews of this DVD, the majority of which are, quite rightly, gushing in their praise of Shane Meadows' fourth - and best - picture about a brother taking revenge on a gang of small-town lowlifes. But the quality of Dead Man's Shoes cannot be over-stated, and personally I found this to be one of the most moving and impressive feature films of recent years and as such feel compelled to recommend it further.

Paddy Considine, recently seen in Simon Pegg's comedy cop caper, 'Hot Fuzz', plays Richard - a former soldier who returns to his sleepy hometown in the Midlands with his younger brother Anthony (Toby Kebbel) in tow. The pair are on foot, and the reasons for their return are initially unclear. However, what quickly becomes apparent is the fact that Anthony is mildly mentally disabled; he is also extremely uncomfortable at being back in town. Fortunately, the steel-nerved Richard is more than willing to act on his brother's behalf...

The way the tale is told is superb - black and white flash-backs depicting the fateful events leading to Richard's vengeful and violent actions are interspersed with the often comical exchanges between the would-be victims. Considine's performance is colossal: Richard is possessed of a spine-chilling calm and a singularity of purpose that evokes awe and admiration in equal measure. Kebbel, meanwhile, is perfectly cast in his role - capable as he is of portraying Anthony with a sympathetic but wonderfully understated charm.

This film strikes the perfect balance between fantasy and reality; it is dark and psychological, visceral and violent and it moved me to tears on more than one occasion. However, it also made me laugh uproariously - I mean, really, what more could you ask for?

Matt Pucci

Best British Film
This in my opinion is one of the best acted, scripted and directed films ever. The criminals are believable and not the usual cheeky chirpy chappys as seen in Snatch etc. The are true low lifes. Paddy Considine gives a powerful emotional performance which leaves you breathless throughout. I cannot rate this film enough. I also recommend the soundtrack. Each track fits in just right.

A fine film made something more resonant by a remarkable lead performance
I've been waiting for Meadows to make a film that fulfilled the promise his short films showed ever since seeing his short film Where's the Money, Ronny?, and with Dead Man's Shoes he finally delivers. It's a remarkable reimagining of Death Wish as it would be in the real world, set among tatty Midlands housing estates with villains with crap cars and a pathetic array of mail order weaponry. Shot very effectively in a style somewhere between Italian neo-realism, early Scorsese and even Cassavettes improv but with a flavor all its own, it doesn't matter that one of the plot twists is very obvious (so obvious, in fact, I'm not even sure that it's even meant to be a twist) because co-writer Paddy Considine is such a riveting yet natural presence in the lead: he's able to be genuinely threatening while keeping it absolutely real, creating a very believable monster. There's no vanity, no attempt to go for the cool or the comic (if anything he undercuts the character's attempts to do so without ever becoming a cheap joke) and little in the way of grandstanding. And the gutted close-up of Considine closing his eyes in a bus shelter is a truly remarkable piece of acting without acting. In an industry where lightweights like Clive Owen get lead roles thrown at them, he's the real thing and quite possibly the greatest British actor of his generation.

Not for everyone, perhaps (the reception in the US has been particularly poor), but one of the best low-budget British films in a long time. An excellent extras package, too.