Director Mike_Hodges returns to the territory of his acclaimed debut, Get_Carter, with I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, in which a former gangster seeks vengeance for his dead brother. But the newer film is much more contemplative, in the manner of Steven_Soderbergh's The_Limey, which itself paid homage to Hodges' earlier work. Hodges' elliptical treatment of Trevor_Preston's screenplay allows the narrative strands to come together gradually, and continually thwarts genre expectations with its somber, thoughtful treatment of the brutal subject matter. The director's shadowy mise-en-scène , as shot by Michael_Garfath, who also lensed Croupier, harkens back to the classic gangster movies of the 1940s and the work of John_Alton on films like Anthony_Mann's T-Men. The visuals set the dour tone of the film brilliantly, providing a visual corollary for the hopeless moral morass in which Will Graham (Clive_Owen) finds (or perhaps loses) himself. Owen, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (Davey), and Charlotte_Rampling (Helen) deliver expert, nuanced performances, subtly filling out details in the characters and their relationships that the economical script only hints at. Jamie_Foreman (Mickser) is also quite good, while Malcolm McDowell is perhaps a bit shrill as the enigmatic Boad. To the filmmakers' credit, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead offers no simple, satisfying solutions to the mysteries at its core, and no pat answers to Will's dilemma. Those looking for a typical revenge drama may be disappointed by this film's cold, grim approach and its unhurried pace, but the film offers many rewards for those seeking something a bit more challenging. Josh Ralske, Rovi

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