Dead Man's Shoes, 2004

It's hard not to be impressed with Paddy Considine's chilling portrayal of a vengeful and clearly disturbed ex-serviceman in Dead Man's Shoes, especially if, like me, you're only familiar with his supporting roles in comparatively lighter films like Hot Fuzz and Cinderella Man. Considine reminds me of a British Sam Rockwell, in that he can skillfully handle comedy or heavy drama with equal ease. That, and he kind of looks like Rockwell, too. This film definitely leans toward the dramatic. In fact, it's almost a horror flick, but thankfully, the violence isn't all that graphic and the subtle, black humor throughout is also much appreciated. The plot puts a fairly original spin on the old revenge story by making the audience feel more sympathy for the low-life drug addicts than for the bloodthirsty hero who was wronged by them. The twist ending isn't hard to figure out ahead of time but that doesn't matter as, unlike an M. Night Shyamalan picture, this movie is about more than a clever twist. It deftly explores themes of guilt, vengeance, shame, and brotherly love, while blurring the line between good and evil, all in a very frightening and realistic way.

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