Cowboy movie in disguise? (spoilers)

Halfway through that flick, it dawned on me that if you watch it, not as the typical gangster movie, but as a *cowboy movie* of sorts (set in contemporary England instead of the old west), it makes a lot more sense. Just picture Clive Owen as the 'Lone Ranger' (in a western, his character would be played by John Wayne), the reformed bandit who has to confront his past when he returns to town to revenge his little brother's death (who in that case would be a cattle-robber, or something like that, instead of a drug-dealer); Owen's 'living-in-a-trailer' life is equivalent of the Lone Ranger riding his horse and camping in the prairies, away from civilization; Malcolm Macdonald's character would be the sheriff, or the rich rancher who 'owns' the town and do whatever he likes (including raping the sweet-talking robber who's been banging all the best gals in the bordelo for free); in a western movie, a man killing himself 'only' (sorry) because he was raped would not be something so out-of-the-ordinary; Rampling would be the old lady who runs the saloon, and whom in the past had a tumultuous relationship with the Lone Ranger; et cetera.

I believe that the movie's director was also aware of that western-in-disguise connection, as there are some tips-of-the-hat throughout the film that seem to confirm that theory. For example: Davie's friend wearing a western-like black hat; the gunner from Belfast (equivalent to the 'black pistolman' in a western) wears the typical 'villain boots' (black with white tips); Rampling's restaurant has a door that opens like a saloon's; even the final scene gives it all away, being almost a cliché with the Lone Ranger riding away in his 'horse' before the credits roll up; well I could go on and on all night, but I'll leave some more of that similarities for you out there to point out.

So, what do you think? Any thoughts?