I watched this on the recommendation of my brother, and am glad I did. It isn't an easy film to watch, as it deals brutally with one of man's basest motivations - revenge - in a very matter-of-fact way, but it is certainly worth it.
Shane Meadows presents what is actually a pretty bog-standard yarn in an extremely morose and unrelenting style. Some of the flashback scenes in particular are pretty harrowing - although Gary Stretch's acting for much of the film is laughable, his brutalising of Considine's retarded younger brother is frighteningly realistic.
There are several scenes that will live with me for a long while. The opening scene with Herbie pathetically attempting to front Richard only to be extremely abruptly and violently confronted by him in a crowded room is superb - as is one of the pivotal scenes in the film where Stretch gets out of the comical car that the chavs trundle around in to confront Richard only to be put firmly in his place.
Paddy Considine's performance is awesome - one of the best British acting performances of the last two decades. At times, as the past events that led to his brutal crusade are played out for the viewer, you find yourself voyeuristically wishing that you were in his position so that you could exact your own revenge - so heinous are the senseless acts of violence and exploitation. Clearly inspired by such previous celluloid nutcases as DeNiro's Travis Bickle and Keitel's turn in Bad Lieutenant, he does not put a foot wrong.
The cinematography is superb, with plenty of beautiful, lingering shots of the English countryside and the music - mainly choral with some urban toss chucked in as a counterpoint, is also excellent.
The only slight let-downs for me were the laughable acting by Stretch in much of the film and the fact that the three moronic chavs were not played enough for comedic effect - there is a tinge of humour in here, but I feel it would have been slightly better for the film as a whole if it were turned up a touch more.
As it is, it stands as one of the best British films in years
Shane Meadows presents what is actually a pretty bog-standard yarn in an extremely morose and unrelenting style. Some of the flashback scenes in particular are pretty harrowing - although Gary Stretch's acting for much of the film is laughable, his brutalising of Considine's retarded younger brother is frighteningly realistic.
There are several scenes that will live with me for a long while. The opening scene with Herbie pathetically attempting to front Richard only to be extremely abruptly and violently confronted by him in a crowded room is superb - as is one of the pivotal scenes in the film where Stretch gets out of the comical car that the chavs trundle around in to confront Richard only to be put firmly in his place.
Paddy Considine's performance is awesome - one of the best British acting performances of the last two decades. At times, as the past events that led to his brutal crusade are played out for the viewer, you find yourself voyeuristically wishing that you were in his position so that you could exact your own revenge - so heinous are the senseless acts of violence and exploitation. Clearly inspired by such previous celluloid nutcases as DeNiro's Travis Bickle and Keitel's turn in Bad Lieutenant, he does not put a foot wrong.
The cinematography is superb, with plenty of beautiful, lingering shots of the English countryside and the music - mainly choral with some urban toss chucked in as a counterpoint, is also excellent.
The only slight let-downs for me were the laughable acting by Stretch in much of the film and the fact that the three moronic chavs were not played enough for comedic effect - there is a tinge of humour in here, but I feel it would have been slightly better for the film as a whole if it were turned up a touch more.
As it is, it stands as one of the best British films in years
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