i come away from dead man shoe with a sense of pride while a sense of acknowledgment while a feeling that british film at it low budget level and at it gritty and simplest be very much alive and active . the reaction i have also affect the way i perceive hollywood a little bit more while it true that film like zodiac and blood diamond and apocalypto occupy my top three of 2007 but even some of them and the many others on that list do not match the fondness and recognition that i have for dead man shoe upon see it the great thing be and this be extensively level down in term of funding but pump up in term of quality . make no mistake and dead man shoe be very good . i suppose in order to identify this film and i would have to borrow from america somewhat but that be no shame while this film be 1988 rain man meet a hard a nail and gritty revenge film perhaps something star james cagney in his pomp . but it be a revenge film with an air of indifference while the film be often funny and often touching and often heart warm in it portrayal of inept small time crook and it nasty flashback of bullying and it small inclusion of scene in which someone with special need be present and display his innocence . while i have only see the rather underwhelming once upon a time in the midland from director shane meadow and this isn not so much a a jolt back in the right direction a it be a full blown shove back onto the correct track . meadow directs and unfold his story in a brilliant manner but in a manner that utilise so many technique that we the audience flip from happy to sad to anger to disgust and in such a way that we have time to appreciate what be see while feel and what we think of it all . paddy considine play richard and a soldier fresh back from and what i can only assume to be and the horror of iraq and the iraq war go on . but where road side bomb and ambush have be erase and richard be psychologically stick with constant explosion go off in his mind anger and rage and sadness and that lust for revenge when he learn his young and more simple brother have suffer torment and bullying at the hand of the local drug dealer and young adult who have not mature enough to shake off that chav mentality . needless to say and he bring home the horror of iraq with him in all their bloody infamy in what could be one of the best post war syndrome study since travis bickle in taxi driver . the film poster of say film on someone flat wall perhaps hint at this . but apart from the horror and the tragedy and which do grab you thanks to some flashback that i eventually come to fear pop up and everything be reveal in a satisfying and balanced way . initially and the user of the boy call him over and tap him on the back and invite him in and everything seem very harmless while we even think he be close enough to these people to go out and get some grocery for them if nothing else be on . but whatever we think be quickly present to u over and over in a and frankly and quite brilliant piece of direct and pace a we realise these people be not what they be crack up to be . further utilisation of the kid follow while then it get more serious when drug and woman come into play . meadow also get across the element of humour early on in his film while indeed and when you see herbie ( wolfenden ) trundle down the road in his citroen 2cv with the other guy in the back and you can not help but smirk at how real this all feel while at how these people be present a people who live and breath and hang around in apartment and drive obscure car . but then again and you get the feeling of disturbance . we be not aware of the true extent of thing until much later but look back at the event in the opening hour and the leisurely way in which the gang hang around and talk about nothing in particular consider what they have do be shock . meadow also get across his feeling of foreboding and the sense it all building up to something . richard initial work that he carry out on the gang all feel a if it build up to the big showdown with the final gang member while the one member we will feel a juxtaposition toward since he have a wife and two child . onto the wrongdoer in question while initially and herbie be introduce but then we get two of his lackey accomplice live in an apartment while onto a further pair of heavy that come over and finally and sonny ( stretch ) who be the chief antagonist in the bullying of the brother to him and it go beyond a joke while it turn into an actual hatred and a hatred of those with special need with element of fascism towards those who be not normal start to creep into the film and it character psyche . so this be meadows introduce to u the villain in stage while the target richard must deal with if he be to get his revenge we be systematically tell what richard be up against but there be also that nice little touch of richard show up now and again with scare tactic . but with a hero on a mission and a twist that pack a punch dead man shoe be a big success . when he confront the family man at the end and richard himself say that he be now the monster which tell u that we do not have to root for him any more if we do not want to a he be confront an apparent innocent but the film be brilliant in it build up and it finale and it attention to detail great stuff .