A couple of years after the light-hearted romantic entanglements of his western tribute, Once Upon A Time in the Midlands, director Shane Meadows takes a darker route for this unsettling and disturbing drama. Co-writer Paddy Considine plays Richard, a former paratrooper who has returned to his small-minded hometown to administer some vengeance on those ne'er-to-do-wells who spent quality time torturing his younger brother over the years. What follows is a relentless, unflinching look at the realities of small-town mentalities and prejudices, culminating in a frank and rather terrifying crescendo of violence.
A director whose previous films were characterised by their likable characters but exceedingly lightweight tone, Meadows turns his attention towards the sinister facets of his roots with Dead Man's Shoes. Roughly hewn and edgy, the film is driven by its sparse but compelling premise, with Considine particularly effective as the dogged Richard. Meadows doesn't spring too many surprises in the straightforward narrative, but he displays a cool poise that suggests he could be a filmmaker to keep an eye on.
