I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (2004)

The Worst Film Ever

Sorry, this movie sucks

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Clive Owen was once an enforcer for the London underground, but has since left London and is living off the grid out of his van. When he is unable to contact his little brother Jonathan Rhys Meyers for some time, he heads back to London to find him in person. He learns Rhys Meyers has committed suicide, but cannot believe it. An independent autopsy determines Rhys Meyers was raped, and Owen is determined to find out who did it and why. But his reappearance doesn't go unnoticed by his former criminal buddies nor his former boss Ken Stott.The basic plot reminds a bit of an earlier neo-noir by director Mike Hodges, 'Get Carter', but this isn't a remake (altho I would say writer Trevor Preston was definitely inspired by it). This is also a very slow-paced movie, deliberately so... There is very little action and the few instances there are are quite brief. This movie is all about brooding tension and there's plenty of it. But action junkies will fall asleep watching this.Hodges once again employed Clive Owen as his lead, who also starred in his last movie before this one, the excellent and a-typical neo- noir 'Croupier'. And he is great here, with his intense deadpan stare. There is a small part for the beautiful Charlotte Rampling as his former girlfriend, but her role is wasted and she doesn't seem to be too comfortable in this part, she's very static. Malcolm McDowell plays Rhys Meyers's rapist (this is not a spoiler btw) and there's some nice misdirection in regards to his activities and possible motive, also because there is also a subplot involving Owen's former boss Ken Stott who realizes why Owen is back in town.Out of Hodges's 3 neo-noirs, this is the least of the three, but that doesn't mean it's bad. Far from it, but I can see how the movie's pace and lack of action (even in the 'climax') will turn off some people. Having said that, I really enjoyed it, and I would still recommend it. 7/10

As an exercise in portraying the low life of London, this film does not offer much that is new and features an array of stock "underworld" characters that, because we have no experience (most of us anyway) of knowing such people, we have to accept that "this is what it must be like". On the other hand it is all very well done and because it is not a documentary but a cinematic entertainment, then that mission has been accomplished pretty well. The production values are good and the direction and editing preserve a dark and menacing mood throughout. The two main standout features of this film that are possibly different from most movies of this genre are (1) the graphic and clinical descriptions of male rape and (2) the surprisingly attractive notion of living a nomadic life in a van, a small space that is currently receiving much media attention here in the UK, being promoted as a desirable and proper thing to do.

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead is a crime film directed by Mike Hodges that is from a screenplay written by Trevor Preston. The movie features a man that return to their former hometowns to investigate the death of a brother that has died under mysterious circumstances and plot a revenge to those who were responsible.It stars Clive Owen,Jonathan Rhys- Meyers,Malcolm McDowell and Charlotte Rampling.Will Graham is a former London gangster who moved out to the country after suffering a breakdown of some sort. He works clearing forests, and lives out of his van, until he loses his job over a lack of proper documentation. Meanwhile, Will's younger brother, Davey, is enjoying his life as a womanizing man about town, and dabbling in drug dealing, until one night, when an older man, Boad has him followed and brutally assaults him. The traumatized Davey returns home and takes his own life. Will, uncertain as to where to go, finds himself drawn back to London, where he learns of Davey's death from Mrs. Barz, his landlady. Will investigates what happened that night with his old friend, Mickser. As Will tries to piece together what happened, he goes to visit Helen, his former lover, who is less than thrilled to see him after he abandoned her years earlier and eventually cut off all contact. The current neighborhood crime boss,Turner, knows what Will is capable of, and sees him as a threat. Eventually, Will uncovers the truth, and is faced with the unpleasant prospect of avenging Davey's death.This is another type of revenge film for it presents dark themes that might not be suitable to everyone.I may not expect everyone to like this film.But nevertheless,one cannot help but credit the cast for a wonderful performance particularly Owen and Rampling.Overall,it is a good, tight, well-made piece of filmmaking for it is a true representation of gangster movies that is unnerving that is yet completely sure of every step it takes.

There's this bloke lives in a van parked down our road.Might be some sort of pikey I suppose, but he looks as if he's been a bit tasty in his time....................... Former gang boss turned tree - hugger Mr C.Owen returns to his roots. "I'll sleep when I'm dead" is yet another attempt at the elusive noir genre that we Brits are so bad at.So many well 'ard geezers threatening each other with a bit of GBH before going home to be good to their dear old mums,dark London alleyways,big-time crims in flash drums.....I mean,come on,we've seen it all before.Even the presence of a relative of a notorious London villain can't prevent this load of tosh disappearing up the double barrels of its own shotgun. And it's set in Brixton,spiritual home of London's Gangstas from where I venture to suggest Mr Owen would have been sent packing very early on in his career. The "modern" storyline where old - time villain Mr M. McDowell punishes an annoying young rival by buggering him borders on the - to say the least - unlikely,a desperate attempt by the makers to add a spin to the well - trodden path of the revenge movie. Miss C.Rampling appears for no good reason that I could ascertain,and awaits her fate like Burt Lancaster in "The Killers",the only ground this movie has in common with that masterpiece. With so many terrible British crimflicks already in the marketplace,"I'll sleep when I'm dead" deserves to disappear in the hell reserved for the works of the Guy Ritchie school of Frankie Fraser wannabes whose sycophancy towards psychopathic criminals is as nuaseating as it is risible.