When I realised that this was a remake of Mike Hodges own "Get Carter", I couldn't help making comparisons. "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" is surprisingly slower but drugs and male rape raise the nastiness ante, despite the fact that "Get Carter" was one of most violent films of the 1970's.
A problem in making a crime drama these days is the sheer amount of competition from brilliant, movie length crime series and one-off dramas on television – British ones such as "Lewis", "Wallander", "DCI Banks" and "Vera", and "Jesse Stone" from the US. Interesting plots, characters with depth, and great locations, they have set the bar high.
A precursor to them all was "Get Carter". Although Michael Caine's Jack Carter was definitely on the other side of the law, the film featured real locations and characters whose faces revealed their backgrounds before a word was spoken. Although well made, "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead"comes too late to add much to the genre.
In "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead", Clive Owen's Will Graham returns from a long absence to visit his brother, Davey. He discovers that Davey committed suicide after being brutally sodomised by a sadistic gangster. Will, a former criminal hardman, has been working as a logger in the country. He lives in his van and has no wish to return to his former life of crime. However, he seeks revenge for his brother and causes a disturbance amongst his former criminal associates.
Both films have a strong sense of journey. In "Get Carter" Jack Carter travels from London to Newcastle on the train and then drives through narrow, grim looking streets to attend his brother's funeral. Will Graham travels to London in his van through forests, tunnels and nighttime streets. Both Carter and Graham are violent men, but in Will Graham's case, this is established more by reputation; he only kills one person in "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead", while Jack Carter's body count in "Get Carter" is significantly higher.
A big difference between the two films is the underlying humour Michael Caine brought to his role. In a scene at a racetrack, Jack Carter intimidates an old adversary, Eric Paice, played by Ian Hendry. "Still got your sense of humour", Eric sarcastically observes. Carter replies straight-faced, "Yes, I have always retained that Eric". It's an observation that Eric makes twice; the last time is just before Carter clubs him to death. There are no exchanges like that in "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead", Clive Owen is far more serious; his Will Graham is more introspective than Jack Carter, and he doesn't do humour, black or otherwise.
Charlotte Rampling plays an old flame of Will's. Even in her late 50's she still brings her enigmatic quality to the film – she never has to do much to make an impression.
Both films end on an ambiguous note although "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" takes ambiguity to a new level. While "Get Carter" ends along the lines of live by the sword, die by the sword, "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" leaves us completely up in the air. It's a far less satisfying ending, annoying really, because after a slow start the movie does gets you in – a resolution would have been nice.
A problem in making a crime drama these days is the sheer amount of competition from brilliant, movie length crime series and one-off dramas on television – British ones such as "Lewis", "Wallander", "DCI Banks" and "Vera", and "Jesse Stone" from the US. Interesting plots, characters with depth, and great locations, they have set the bar high.
A precursor to them all was "Get Carter". Although Michael Caine's Jack Carter was definitely on the other side of the law, the film featured real locations and characters whose faces revealed their backgrounds before a word was spoken. Although well made, "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead"comes too late to add much to the genre.
In "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead", Clive Owen's Will Graham returns from a long absence to visit his brother, Davey. He discovers that Davey committed suicide after being brutally sodomised by a sadistic gangster. Will, a former criminal hardman, has been working as a logger in the country. He lives in his van and has no wish to return to his former life of crime. However, he seeks revenge for his brother and causes a disturbance amongst his former criminal associates.
Both films have a strong sense of journey. In "Get Carter" Jack Carter travels from London to Newcastle on the train and then drives through narrow, grim looking streets to attend his brother's funeral. Will Graham travels to London in his van through forests, tunnels and nighttime streets. Both Carter and Graham are violent men, but in Will Graham's case, this is established more by reputation; he only kills one person in "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead", while Jack Carter's body count in "Get Carter" is significantly higher.
A big difference between the two films is the underlying humour Michael Caine brought to his role. In a scene at a racetrack, Jack Carter intimidates an old adversary, Eric Paice, played by Ian Hendry. "Still got your sense of humour", Eric sarcastically observes. Carter replies straight-faced, "Yes, I have always retained that Eric". It's an observation that Eric makes twice; the last time is just before Carter clubs him to death. There are no exchanges like that in "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead", Clive Owen is far more serious; his Will Graham is more introspective than Jack Carter, and he doesn't do humour, black or otherwise.
Charlotte Rampling plays an old flame of Will's. Even in her late 50's she still brings her enigmatic quality to the film – she never has to do much to make an impression.
Both films end on an ambiguous note although "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" takes ambiguity to a new level. While "Get Carter" ends along the lines of live by the sword, die by the sword, "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" leaves us completely up in the air. It's a far less satisfying ending, annoying really, because after a slow start the movie does gets you in – a resolution would have been nice.