I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead — I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead( Blu Ray)

I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead is a 2003 thriller from acclaimed British director Mike Hodges (Flash  Gordon, Get Carter and Black Rainbow) starring a host of top-class British acting talent in the form of Clive Owen (Children of Men, Closer and Gosford Park), Malcolm McDowell (Clockwork Orange, Caligula and Cat People), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors, Vikings and Velvet Goldmine), Charlotte Rampling (Zardoz, The Night Porter and Angel Heart), and Ken Stott (Shallow Grave, Messiah and The Hobbit movies). 

Former gangster, Will Graham (Owen), turned his back on a tough life of crime in the big city in favour of the relative peace and tranquillity of the English countryside. He lives out of the back of his van and works as a logger. After he is laid off from his job, he decides to ring his younger brother Davey (Meyers), when Davey doesn’t answer he gets worried and heads back to the city to check on him. Davey has been found dead in his bathtub by his friend Mickser (Jamie Foreman, Layer Cake, Inkheart and Elizabeth), having taken his own life after being brutally sodomized by local mobster Boad (McDowell). Once Will finds out about his brother’s demise he begins his search for answers. Who or what was responsible for driving Davey to take his own life and why?

I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead is a grim tale of the underworld, that masquerades as a story about the suicide of a young man. It’s an examination of the sorts of men who become involved in crime and what lures them into underworld practices. The performances are excellent, Owen is superb in the lead role as the dark and moody Will Graham, McDowell stands out as the villain of the piece, alongside the hugely talented Rampling as Will’s former lover, Helen. 

The new Blu-ray from Imprint looks glorious, the print is pristine, and the colours are rich and natural. There’s not a lot of bonus material on the disc, however, what is here is worth having. There is an audio commentary by director Hodges and writer Trevor Preston, a documentary on Hodges work on the movie as well as two deleted scenes and a theatrical trailer.

I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead is a well above-average thriller with an excellent cast and a solid script, directed by a talented director who on his day produced some of British cinema’s finest moments. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, it’s far too much of a slow burn for some tastes but if you like this sort of grimy tale of underworld revenge then you may just love this.