Dead Man's Shoes (2004) (2025)

Popular reviews

• Review by DirkH ★★★★★ 33

  It has been a while since I have been this moved, disturbed, kicked and beaten while I was down by a film as I was by Shane Meadows' tale of revenge and retribution.

  There is an immediate sense of realism from the get go and that is what gives this film its strength. We are watching real people in an unreal situation. In essence it is the simplest of revenge stories. If you read the synopsis, you probably would expect an average action flick. But the simplest of stories, told with passion and dedication often hit the hardest. And that is certainly the case here.

  Paddy Considine is a force of nature. He channels so much restrained anger struggling to…

• Review by Nakul ★★★★½

  Shane Meadows's Dead Man’s Shoes is an uncompromising, haunting revenge tale and a heart-rending moral fable that explores themes of loss, grief and brotherhood. It's a movie that crawls under your skin and stays there for a while, thanks, largely, to Paddy Considine's mesmerising & terrifying performance. The movie has so many genre influences but its different enough to be its own thing.

• Review by Graham 3

  In Dead Man's Shoes, Shane Meadows delivers an uncompromising blunt instrument of a revenge thriller. A film in which Richard (Paddy Considine) returns to the scene of a terrible event and without undue emotion applies his deadly trade on those responsible.

  This is Brit Grit. A film that typifies the raw emotion that pulsates within the very best of British cinema and without any fuss or bluster, it stares you in the eyes and kicks your teeth in. Violent, visceral and straight to the point while somehow managing to retain a sensitive underbelly, this is a truly fantastic film.

• Review by 80s.Slasher.Fan ★★★★½

  Grief, anger, despair, Paddy Considine brings all these emotions to the troubled character of Richard, a solider who returns home to reek terrible revenge on his brothers tormentors.

  The first time I watched 'Dead Man's Shoes', I expected it to be a full-on 'Saw-type' horror movie, with elaborate torture devices and gratuitous gore. But from Richard's first calm-breaking snarl at a dazed dealer of 'You ya cunt', I found myself being pleasantly surprised and enthralled by this heartbreaking tale of retribution, that's awash in grime and blood. As it mixes equal parts slasher and revenge flick, into a highly successful and unique twist on the genre.

  Anchored by a startling performance by star Considine - who also co-wrote the screenplay-…

• Review by Lochlan Ashton ★★★★½

  This is one of the biggest films that has influenced me to make and watch more films. It’s dark but beautiful.

  The first line “God will forgive them. He’ll forgive them and allow them into Heaven. I can’t live with that” sets you up for the rest of the film. It’s perfect.

  Paddy Considine performance is one of a kind in this. I don’t think anyone else could do the role like he did. Toby Kebbell was fantastic. I wish he’d do more roles like this.

  I highly recommend watching this film.

• Review by Ella Kemp ★★★★½ 1

  Gotta be the most upsetting Aphex Twin drop ever. What an astounding thing.

• Review by EccyReviews ★★★★★

  What a film 👏👏

  This film was absolutely incredible. It was dark, gritty and emotional and I loved every minute. The performances were great from start to finish and the story tackled some dark themes which I really enjoyed. This a fantastic British film which I highly recommend and is definitely a must watch.

  👏👏💊❄️💵🍜🪓😭🎥🎥

• Review by Ella Kemp ★★★★½

  Kinda magic and insane that they made something like this with resources like that. Harrowing and really kinda moving too - can’t think of many filmmakers like Shane Meadows tbh

• Review by Andy Summers 🤠 ★★★★ 5

  He may not be the biggest,he may not be the toughest, but boy does Paddy Considine scare the shit out of me in this. Intense. Fuck me he's intense.
  A straightforward revenge flick with some truly terrifying scenarios played out in a nameless Midlands town, this is Shane Meadows gone ga ga. Paddy Considine's ex-para Richard is obviously a cross between Rambo and Taxi Driver just like it says on the DVD sleeve. Only his methods put both Stallone and De Niro to shame. Meadows directs with his usual full-on kitchen-sink-realism and you can tell his actors are ad-libbing on occasion.
  This movie belongs to Considine, but Toby Kebbell is utterly convincing as his "touched" brother who gives a sensitive portrayal of a mentally impaired youngster. Violent, smart, and disturbing, one of Britain's most honest directors delivers all of these emotions and more.

• Review by Jay 👽 ★★★½

  Though it does partake in its fair share of eye-watering cringe (seriously, those opening lines are Steven Seagal embarrassing), Dead Man's Shoes manages to transcend the flaws of its screenplay with a dedication to that special countryside unease. The same kind Public Image Ltd. referred to in Poptones. It feels about as safe as drinking peroxide, or staring into Paddy Considine's wide, troubled eyes.

• Review by c.w. scott ★★★½ 2

  the plot of this feels like a Peep Show storyline rejected for being too dark

• Review by subkhanaamir ★★★★ 2

  I find it so funny that a group of “thugs” are driving around in what looks like mr beans’ car