The series is a reminder that facing up to one’s problems doesn’t guarantee release, but does allow for the possibility of moving forward.
The film is a series of sight gags and quirky scenes that don’t build upon one another.
That the black-and-white grit of the immigrant, working-class milieu gives way to a finale of grainy color wish-fulfillment is no big surprise.
Shane Meadows’s affectionate warts-and-all portrait of his milieu and subculture is blistering.
Dead Man’s Shoes is fearless for not adhering to any conventional notion of how sound should complement image.