Few revenge thrillers out there are as quirky and individualistic as Dead Man's Shoes, Shane Meadows' dark low budget thriller set in the small town of Matlock, Derbyshire. Co-written by and starring Paddy Considine, it is a career high for both of these regular collaborators - a hugely effective thriller which also feels incredibly personal with it. Richard (Considine) returns home from the army and meets up with his younger brother Anthony (Toby Kebbell), who suffers from learning difficulties and has been bullied by a group of drug dealers. Vowing revenge, Richard begins with scaring the bullies, turning up at their flat in an old army gas mask, before escalating his plan into one of violence and murder. Meadows takes this threadbare plot and infuses it with an almost poetic feel, enhanced by a wonderfully eclectic soundtrack compiled by Warp Records (who also produced via Warp Films). A British cinematic gem and one of Shane Meadows' greatest films, Dead Man's Shoes is proof that the revenge thriller genre can be both subverted and respected - it's a strange, slow-burning film with a surreal streak mixed with liberal dashes of dark humour which builds to a surprisingly touching conclusion. A must-see movie for fans of the revenge thriller. Which revenge thrillers have you enjoyed the most? Why not post a comment below?
