Dead Mans Shoes

I don't want things spelt out to me either. But at the end when you look back at the choices the characters made they still have to make sense.

For instance think of the chances that Richard had to kill the gang and decided to humilate them instead and drag the whole thing out tediously. It's a stretch but I can go with that. But why, when the gang had the chance to kill him, did they not bother? Why did that gang member walk around wearing that Richard re-designed jacket? Why not just throw it in the bin and pick another jacket to wear? Is it likely at all that someone's face can be painted in their sleep and they not only don't see a mirror when they wake up but also not feel it on their face? Etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.

I love revenge and revenge films and if the characters don't behave like real people then it's a waste of time. It isn't enough to have a naturalistic directing style, the characters have to act naturally as well.

In terms of it not being a first draft, it is. Second drafts and editing scripts to make them better are considered very bad things in some sections of the independent film community, Meadows says worRAB to that effect on the web site quoted above. Laziness has been turned into a philosophy.

But don't let me put you off! :)
 
I'm not put off, I've seen it ten times now. In answer to your points:

I think Richard wants justice, he wants to avenge his brother, but he doesn't want to do anything to the gang that they didn't do. He could easily kill them off straight away, but he wants to incapacitate them and then torment them as they did his brother, this is what the acid scene is all about, imo. He would probably have wanted all the gang to die that way, but he killed one member to show the others what he was capable of and then lost another two through no fault of his own (remember what he says when asked "Why did you kill Tuff?" "Because he tried to run away"

As for the other points, maybe that character only owns one jacket. He is called Gypsy John, after all. (Bit lame, I know). I think when they knock on the door for Sonny, they wake him up, and that's why he doesn't have time to look in the mirror? These are just daft details, every film has them, and they only annoy you if you're not enjoying it.

Anyway, doubt we'll agree, but I love debating films!
 
I love this film.
One of the great modern British films for me.

Just thought I'd post to remind people that Dead Man's Shoes is on tonight....

...11.00pm Film Four.

If you haven't seen it before I highly recommend it. I think that you'll really enjoy it.
 
great movie I actually won a signed copy of the graphic novel of the film signed by Shane Meadows and Paddy Considine and Paddy posted it too me himself with a hand written note (top fella!)
 
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