In good old days when video stores used to be the main source of new films in Croatia, a years long pause between premiere and actual distribution was usually a bad sign, especially if a film was inexplicably obscure despite having notable cast. One such example was You’re Dead..., 1999 crime comedy written and directed by Andy Hurst.
The plot deals with the bloody aftermath of nine-day long siege of bank. Police inspector Badger (played by John Banfield) tries to piece what happened by interviewing survivors, while at the same time being supervised by top criminal psychologist Professor Corner (played by Barbara Flynne) and her associates. The story moves in flashback nine days earlier when Maitland (played by John Hurt), Britain’s legendary bank robber, comes to the bank with his two associates – Eddie (played by Rhys Ifans) and Ian (played by David Schneider) – to conduct his business wearing immaculate Saville Row suits and bowler hats. The heist, which was planned with great skill and precision, is supposed to go smoothly but disaster strikes when the bank gets hit at the same time by a rival gang of robbers. Its premises are surrounded by police and hostage situation gets further complicated with presence of Jo (played by Claire Skinner), mysterious woman who might have her own agenda.
You’re Dead... was made in Anglo-German co-production and, while having entirely British cast and setting, it was actually shot in Germany with Die Toten Hosen, popular German punk band, performing title song. Andy Hurst obviously tried to emulate Tarantinoesque dark comedies about criminal enterprises going bad, as well as their British versions in style of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrells, but his efforts generally failed, which some critics, especially those prone to ethnic stereotyping, could attribute it to typically German lack of humour. You’re Dead..., on the other hand, has very good cast that valiantly does what it can with poorly written characters and often atrocious dialogues. Some of the bright spots in the film includes flashbacks set in 1970s, as well as accompanying soundtrack, which includes Van McCoy’s “Do the Hustle”, one of the liveliest, most uplifting and tragically underused piece of 20th Century music. Those bright spots, however, weren’t enough to save You’re Dead… from being savaged by critics nor its long, humiliating and well-deserved march towards video stores.
RATING: 3/10 (+)
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