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It’s the quiet ones you’ve got to watch.
Pithy epithet and certainly applies to one of Purple Revolver’s big heroes… Paddy Considine.
He has been carving himself out a nice little niche of outsider roles over the last few years, with considerable style and aplomb.
Making his debut as Morell in A Room for Romeo Brass, his first foray into acting was a notable success. Shifting from an eccentric oddball into the kind of guy you definitely WOULDN’T leave your kids alone with, the feverish intensity he brought to the role immediately marked him as a rising star in Brit cinema.
He picked up a number of leading roles on the back of his performance, and he was also offered the chance to play Rob Gretton, manager of Joy Division and New Order in 24 Hour Party People, a cinematic homage to the Madchester scene.
Paddy excelled in his portrayal of Gretton as an idiosyncratic, cocksure blagger in a line-up already bursting at the seams with top home grown acting talent.
But Paddy’s strongest role has to be that of Richard in Dead Man’s Shoes. With the calm demeanour that is usually only reserved for bomb disposal experts and formula one drivers, Richard at first seems a rather innocuous character.
It is only as the film progresses that the viewer realises that this self-control is not borne out of an inner peace, but rather a burning desire for sociopathic retribution.
The film is a full-on bloodbath start to finish, and features one of the most chilling endings in recent British cinema history.
Considine is one of those rarely found types whose simmering onscreen presence really captivates the viewer.
Paddy has that ability for a complete flip-out that only the true greats such as De Niro and Pacino can pull off. He also has the ability to play more understated characters, without fading into the background.
Offscreen, watch an interview with him, and he’s the kinda guy you’d like to go and have a pint with. His affiliation with Warp Films and close friendship with Shane Meadows are testament to the fact that he’s a pretty cool guy.
So, Paddy Considine, Purple Revolver hereby tips its cap to you. But please don’t get sucked into Hollywood. You’re too good for that.