I saw this at the Adam Smith in Kirkcaldy on Wednesday. I had ticket 31. I think there were about 50 people by the time it started, which was a shame. Most people must have been watching The Apprentice.
I thought it was gripping and at the end I felt a bit stunned. Meadows handles menacing violence really well. I had watched Room for Romeo Brass on the previous Friday and was amazed at the difference in Paddy Considine from Dead Man's Shoes. I've now watched that a couple of times on TV. I think it is a film you could watch 100 times or even watch bits of it over again. It is fascinating yet very ugly. I didn't think This is England had the humour although the bits with the skinheads walking down the street reminded me of Reservoir Dogs or a M&S advert.
I was a bit non plussed by the story in Room for Romeo Brass maybe it was on too late for me. But I wonder why Meadows uses relationships between "powerful" dangerous violent adults and vulnerable lonely children. It makes for very uncomfortable watching. His stories are certainly off beat. I also watched recently The Wind that Shakes the Barley. It reminded me of those TV plays Days of Hope etc with smoke filled rooms where politics was a really serious matter for people. I did like the film but it didn't hit me like This is England. Thanks for putting Meadows on the blog, Billy. Do you know what Paddy Considine is working on?
I wanted to catch "This is England" at the movies but didn't make it. I'll definitely look out for it when it comes out on DVD.
ReplyDeleteThere is an excellent series of movies on BBC2 on Saturday nights. Last Saturday it was the magnificent "Magnolia" and last night it was "American Psycho". Two wonderful and complex movies.
Gerry,
ReplyDeleteThis is a site that I found
http://paddyconsidine.co.uk/news.htm
Interesting news about Shane Meadows interest in directing one of the David Peace quarter to books.
I have read his "1984" and "The Damned United". Reminds me of a UK James Elroy
I have still to see Made in England as some planned visits to the Cameo in Edinburgh had to be cancelled.
I bought a second copy of Dead Man's Shoes DVD to give to people so they could watch it. Almost everyone is impressed by it.
Did you anticipate the ending, that his brother was dead? I did not and seeing it in the cinema, I felt as if someone had punched me, such was the impact. The film touches me at so many levels, it amazes me that he can make a small film rooted in a specific place that deals with such large subjects, as the nature of evil, the need for justice and retribution and how that need eventually destroys you.
Certain scenes reduce me to tears and even when I was telling Eve about it after I had seen it, I kept on breaking down.
It has so many influences from the Clint Eastwood "Man With No Name" genre to a film like "Taxi Driver". Even the way he dresses is like Travis Bickle.
Paddy Considine is brilliant in it. The scene when he confront Gary Stretch at the garage is chilling. It outdoes De Niro's "You looking at me" scene.
I wish I had seen Dead Man's Shoes at the cinema. I think the effect would have been stunning. I did know that the brother was dead because a previous work colleague told me. Seeing the film for the first time on TV and knowing about the brother certainly detracted from the experience but it still shook me and made me laugh. Small time gangsters driving a 2CV "what does al fresco mean?" Yes lots of western influences. Film rooted in small place with huge subjects is spot on.
ReplyDeleteAnd I never knew there were so many good British actors. I look forward to more from these people.