I’m continuing to act on my fascination with British actors.
I’d like to recommend “Stuart: A Life Backwards”.
The movie is based on a bestselling book by the same title, by Alexander Masters.
Masters elaborates on the process of turning his book into a screenplay in an article for the Guardian, which I recommend you read.
This true story follows the friendship between a writer Alexander (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Stuart, a chaotic homeless
(Tom Hardy), whom he gets to know during a campaign to release two charity workers from prison.
As Alexander learns more about Stuart’s complicated life and traumatic childhood, he asks if he can write his story.
Stuart advises him to write the story backwards, so that it’s more exciting like a Tom
Clancy murder-mystery.
The writer attempts to pinpoint the moment when Stuart’s life spiralled out of control.
Alexander is given a glimpse into the life of Stuart, as he gradually recounts his life story in reverse, his resilient personality and dry sense of humour gives the story an almost tragi-comic edge.
Tom Hardy’s portrayal of Stuart is heart-breaking and outstanding.
He portrays a character that is violent, addicted to alcohol and drugs, a repeat offender, and yet he is lovable.
This movie is also an interesting experience of seeing Cumberbatch play the ‘straight’ character, allowing Hardy to shine.
If you get a chance, I recommend watching it with subtitles.
Here is the trailer:
You can also watch the movie online if you do a bit of digging.
I Want to be a Pin Up 
Loving British actors doesn’t make me calm…LOL
LOL! Nor should it make anyone calm! 😉
When I look at Tom Hardy now and all the others, I’m wondering if RA’s good looks are a hindrance to get cast in such small films, playing ordinary people.
Yup, agreed, although many (misguided) people abound me see him as OK looking, so there must be more to the story. Hardy is very handsome, but in a quirky kind of way. In general the top British actors seem to have very interesting features, but don’t rely on their looks to get the acting job done.
Many of those are in the sexy-ugly category. RA may not be conventionally handsome in the Hollywood way but more so than those. And those that cast him clearly rely on the the appeal of his looks, PJ being no exception, as he made Thorin as attractive as dwarfishly possible. I had really, really hoped Thorin would be ugly and unrecognisable, so RA could break the curse of his good looks.
I can’t say I’m sad RA looks like one hot dwarf, neither can I regret Aidan Turner’s Kili could actually win the heart of an elf 😉 At least this way, they’ll be more recognisable. My sister still doesn’t believe that the Comic-Con posters are them in full dwarf get up and make-up.
I’ve been on a British actor kick for a couple of weeks, and this looks like it would be a good movie to watch. Thanks for writing about this film because I otherwise never would’ve heard of it. I’ll be sure to share it with one of my co-workers at Dish who has a huge crush on Hardy. I’m sure that she’ll be happy to see him in yet another film that proves that he is a very talented actor. I’m a fan of Tom Hardy, and I’ve been watching many of his films through my Blockbuster @Home subscription. They have a ton, and so far, my most favorite of his work is RocknRolla and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Stuart: A Life Backwards looks like I might be able to add it to my top three favorites.
I’ve still only watched a handful of movies with Hardy, Cumberbatch, McAvoy etc. but I know the best is yet to come 🙂 Might I suggest you also check out Richard Armitage while you’re on your British actor kick. We’re all a tad nuts about him here. He’s done mostly TV series, and not will be Throin in the Hobbit. I suggest North and South (the BBC and NOT the US version). He’s a very good actor and has thighs and a bum you could bounce coins off 😉
Agree with you ,Jane! He is too hansome, too smart,too polite, too friendly….well,he is a guy from a different era. 😉 “Gentelman and scholar”
He did play “ordinary” in Sparkhouse (and famously went to the audition in character). I would love him to play an alcoholic, a homeless person, a disabled or seriously ill person. Or a corrupt politician. We got glimpses of it as Lucas and JP at their lowest, but it was mostly overshadowed by those characters being heroic and drop-dead gorgeous and not really from this world. Those striking features can look ordinary and almost ugly, if only directors would allow it. I’m all for him playing ugly!
This reminds me when Kate Winslet was playing herself in “Extras”, and there was a running joke there if she wanted an Oscar, she has to do a Holocoust film. There’s something to a charactr that is damaged, that lets a good actor spread his/her wings. Let’s keep our figers croosed. Maybe there’s something ambitious like that already lined up for Richard 🙂
Beautiful actresses often get rewarded for uglifying themselves. It is as if acting only shines once good looks are taken away.
Which is ironic seeing most Hollywood actresses are put out to green pastures once wrinkles and age starts showing. They’re are either clinging on to dear life (Moore), are lucky to still be in the biz (Streep) or just don’t get cast (the rest of them).
Mam jakieś problemy z chomikiem Agzym,jeszcze nie widziałam filmu za to ściągnęły mi się jakies inne rzeczy. Poczekam az Córa wróci z kolonii ,to mi pomoże. Tak Agzym jestem aż tak bezradna na tym polu. Widziałam za to fragmenty i wywiady z aktorami na YT i jestem pewna że będzie mi się podobało.:) Dzięki raz jeszcze!
Ach, ale wredny ten chomik! Co nie zmienia faktu Asia, że tak zaczyna się starość. Najpierw to sobie mama z techinką nie daje radę, a póżniej to tak z górki leci 😉 LOL!
Oj nie masz pojęcia jak to leci, a przecież tak niedawno to ja podkradałam mamie szpilki, z tunik robiłam sukienki, farbowałam (chenną) włosy na rudo-za co w liceum zdarzały się nagany a nawet pała z angielskiego. Wiesz Agzym tak naprawdę nie martwi mnie grawitacja(oj a na nas kobiety naprawdę działa) tylko to moje zapóźnienie w technicznych sprawach,to rzeczywiście jest oznaka starości.:)
I am such a Tom Hardy stan honestly, I love hims so much! I actually met him at The Dark Knight Rises premiere, I wrote a post about it, it’s on my blog!! 🙂 x
I’ll make sure I check it out 🙂 What I like about him is how he’s grown up. If you remember him from “The Virgin Queen”, he was such an adorable boy there.
He’s adorable in that!! Eeeek he’s matured so much, very very proud to be a fan of his!
I actually had a snippet of a dream based on the character of Stuart 🙂 I read an interview with him last week. I really admire his honesty about the tough road he’s had, drugs, booze, gay experiments. It takes balles to be so frank!
Ha! to już wiem co jest gdzie leży problem…on jest nudny!:D(wiesz o kim mówię;)?
Tak, nie przyzna się do niczego! Może nie ma do czego, albo, co bardziej prawdopodobne, tyle tam się dzieje że szczena by opadła!
I wached this just a few days ago!
I hope you liked it 🙂