Ending of iconic British masterpiece continues to 'hit people like a truck'

The ending to the British psychological thriller Dead Man’s Shoes ‘hit people like a truck’.

The 2004 flick stars Paddy Considine as a terrifyingly trained paratrooper Richard who returns to his hometown to get even with the group of thugs who brutalised his intellectually disabled younger brother. You can see one of the movie’s stand-out scenes here:

Dead Man’s Shoes is directed by Shane Meadows - best known for writing and directing This Is England - who also co-wrote the movie alongside Considine and Paul Fraser.

Much like his other works, the film is set among the grey, dreary backdrop of a small, northern town, one in which life-changing crimes and social injustices go unnoticed - until Richard turns up, that is.

As well as Considine, it stars Toby Kebbell, Gary Stretch and Stuart Wolfenden.

It was re-broadcast on Film4 last night where people were once again blown away, particularly by the movie’s devastating ending.

Without sharing any spoilers, it’s fair to say that the gut-wrenching ending sticks with viewers long after the credits have rolled.

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Posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, one viewer said: “What a film! I was flabbergasted at the ending first time round! Anyone not watched it give it a watch.”

Another said: “Watched Dead Man’s Shoes with Paddy Considine tonight, I’d never actually seen it and I had to remedy that. Incredible film. So brutal, but so powerful. Did not see the ending coming at all. Wow. Just amazing. I highly recommend giving it a watch.”

A third wrote: “Forgot how horrific the ending to Dead Man's Shoes is.”

Praising Considine’s acting, someone else wrote: “Steeling myself to watch Dead Man's Shoes on Film4. Why is Paddy Considine's character so frightening? He's not big or hefty or loud, it's that sickly smile, the sour expression, the calm voice.”

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While on Reddit, a fan said: “Dead Man's Shoes hit me like a truck. What a movie! That was one hell of a ride.”

Others branded it ‘one of the best British films ever made’.

However, despite holding a solid 7.6 on IMDB and a near-perfect 91 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, the review aggregator's critic score is a much lower 60 percent.

With a critics consensus reading: “Though enhanced by cramped, gritty camerawork, this unsettling look at violence and revenge lacks the provocative edge needed to give it a substantial kick.”