Ex-gangster Will Graham
(Clive Owen, King Arthur, Closer) thought he had gained
back his soul by leaving the
hard-boiled life of the criminal underworld behind him and
taking on the life of a
drifter. When he learns his younger brother is
found dead of a
gruesome suicide, Will comes back to town and
discovers that his
death was motivated by a shocking event involving
a local car dealer with
a violent habit. To get vengeance against the man responsible, Will
must deal with the unfinished business of his old life which includes
a feud with the local crime boss and lingering feelings for an old
flame.
CRITIQUE
Director Mike Hodges (Get Carter) makes a nice return to the screen with I'll
Sleep When I'm Dead, a slow-moving but deeply affectionate and
dark film about the price of vengeance. The story seems rather minimal
after the film ends, because frankly I expected more closure and a bit
more "oomph." Hodges, however, keeps the story involving by showing us
the scruffy-bearded Will in his reclusive state, avoiding contact with
people if he can and living out a van that he's outfitted with
home-like appliances.
But
before Will enters frame, the film follows the exploits of his brother
Davy (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) who dabbles in selling drugs, up until his
suicide. Will's investigation into this event opens up all sorts of
wounds. The subplot of a gangster who aims to settle a score with
Will, a big London gangster himself years ago, gets a bit lost in the
shuffle, but adds some tension to the film. Another subplot, the
relationship between Will and his ex-lover (Charlotte Rampling), isn't
as satisfying or dramatic as it could have been.
The
script by Trevor Preston features clever dialogue, and the editing by
Paul Carlin is pretty good, yet a few parts in the film move too slow.
However, director of photography Mike Garfath makes up for this by
lighting the night scenes effectively and photographing the characters
and their actions splendidly. The film's music plays right on the
money, as well. The most satisfying element about the film is Clive
Owen's calm, strong performance. The film's best scene or sequence, a
point of transformation for the character, occurs when Will calls a
barber to his room to clean up his scruffy beard, then checks out of
his garage in his vintage car to pay a visit to the man (Malcolm
McDowell) who killed Davy. Owen is as great to watch in this film as in
Croupier, a Casino noir film that first paired the actor
with the Get Carter director.
THE VIDEO
Paramount presents I'll Sleep When I'm Dead in 1.85:1
anamorphic widescreen. The video quality looks quite nice, dark
colors create a tense mood and the light colors give the great
cinematography a push. Sharpness and detail look good. Grain appears
only a few times, scratches don't show up, and overall there are no
other major issues to report on.
THE AUDIO
Paramount presents I'll Sleep When I'm Dead in English 5.1 Dolby
Digital Surround. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand. The rear
speakers don't get much of a workout, but the sound effects, as well
as the film score, are nicely reproduced across the front speakers,
and perhaps a tiny bit around the back. A perfectly fine presentation
for a dialogue-driven film. English subtitles are available.
THE EXTRAS
Just
bonus trailers, nothing else. That's not a bonus. A commentary would
have been neat, or a documentary.
Editor's Update: The
Region 2 DVD comes with an audio commentary and other extras.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead may be slow-moving in spots, but it tells
its dark story with skilled cinematography and great acting by Owen.
The supporting cast also does quite well. For director Mike Hodges,
the film is a good entry on his resume, yet the film also would have
benefited from better closure and a bit more story, but I liked it
overall. It's too bad the DVD has no extras, and the disc's final
rating reflects that mistake, although I'm recommending a rental.
