Review of Dead Man's Shoes (2004) by Ashok B — 29 Aug 2009
It feels like a tight debut feature but it's in fact Shane Meadows' fourth, and he didn't didn't reach a wider audience until This Is England. It says on the DVD that it evokes Get Carter, and I would go as far to say as that it's the 21st Century incarnation of the classic Brit-flick.
The low budget elements sometimes sneak through (gun execution in the kitchen springs to mind). It almost comes into the same category as action getting outdated through time. There's nothing you can do about either, you just make the best of it as a film-maker and forgive it as a watcher.
However I marked down Get Carter a little for this which may seem shallow and unfair. My argument is that, unfortunately, it damages the suspension of disbelief. Some of the stunts and even the stabbings look a bit clunky and it affects the belief that Caine is a professional hitman.
Only a little of course as everything else Caine did in that film was superb, darkly comic and impressive. My point is in this film the low budget shortcomings affect your watching of it less. Considine has since risen (Hot Fuzz, The Bourne Ultimatum) and here puts in a brilliant and sharp performance.
Meadows has also made a fantastic protagonist who is twisted, darkly comic and impressive. Toby Kebbell also puts in a beautifully understated performance and has since become Johnny Quid in Guy Ritchie's Rocknrolla.
For me the general shortcomings that crop up in both Carter and this are easily outweighed by the brilliance of each. The only difference is a I have nothing but admiration and appreciation for Get Carter.
For it's modern incarnation, however, I have nothing but love.
This review of Dead Man's Shoes (2004) was written by Ashok B on 29 Aug 2009.
Dead Man's Shoes has generally received positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
