"God will forgive them, he will forgive them and allow them into heaven… I can’t live with that.”

Paddy Considine -  Richard (Dead Man’s Shoes)

Sometimes I get incredibly frustrated as to the availability of “limited release” films in South Africa. So it is for this reason I shall be looking at a slightly older film this week as I’ve only recently been able to acquire it. As they say, revenge is a dish best served cold, something which director Shane Meadows (This is England) took to heart in his 2004 thriller Dead Man’s Shoes. Set in England, Richard (Paddy Considine – The Bourne Ultimatum), an impervious ex-soldier heads home to exact revenge upon several lower class thugs who abused his mentally challenged brother Anthony (Toby Kebbell - RocknRolla) several years before. Backed by a solid script and jaw dropping performances from Paddy Considine and Toby Kebbell, Shane Meadows has given us a true gem in terms of revenge driven plots.

My first impression of it was that I was just going to be watching a bit of a revenge driven gore fest but this was not the case. Dead Man’s Shoes did exactly what a movie is supposed to do, provoke an emotional response, in this case one of sorrow, loathing and pity. The plot was simple but effective, showing us the power of a brother’s love, something which was enhanced in this situation due to Toby Kebbell’s character being mentally challenged. The entire cast did a superb job portraying their various characters and did not once let the production down, which in turn has given the viewers such a realistic feel to the story being laid before their eyes.

Having worked with a relatively small budget, don’t presume Dead Man’s Shoes will have a Hollywood finished polish to it but expect a rougher film that enhances the brutality of its content. Using a grainy black and white flash back narrative to make sense of the violence inflicted by Paddy’s character ‘Richard’, the film’s overall style can at times be likened to that of a gritty no holes barred firsthand account documentary, I was gripped from the word go.

I could go on and on about the various techniques employed to bring this story to life but Dead Man’s Shoes is one of those that just has to be seen for itself. If it is available at your local video store go and rent it today, it is definitely worth a watch. If you have seen it let me know your opinion of it.