Stuart: A Life Backwards (2007)
Stuart: A Life Backwards (2007)
Starring: Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch
Directed by: David Attwood
When writer and charity worker Alexander Masters (Benedict Cumberbatch) meets Stuart Shorter (Tom Hardy)—a witty, unpredictable homeless man with a violent past—he’s drawn into an extraordinary friendship. As they trace Stuart’s life in reverse—from damaged adult to abused child—they uncover the pain, trauma, and resilience behind society’s forgotten.
A raw, nonlinear character study that’s both intimate and unflinchingly real
Tom Hardy is mesmerizing—volatile, vulnerable, and heartbreakingly human
Explores homelessness, mental illness, abuse, and the fragile thread of dignity
Blends dark humor and tragedy, with animated inserts and shifting timelines that mirror Stuart’s fractured psyche
“You’re writing it backwards… like a murder mystery where you already know who dies.”
