MOVIEmeter
SEE RANK
Up 1,143 this week

Stuart: A Life Backwards (TV 2007)

TV Movie  -   -  Drama  -  23 September 2007 (UK)
7.7
Your rating:
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -/10 X  
Ratings: 7.7/10 from 1,928 users  
Reviews: 12 user

A writer (Cumberbatch) takes a backwards look at the life of his unlikely friend Stuart (Hardy), a homeless alcoholic who experienced a traumatic event in his childhood.

Director:

Writer:

(biography)
0Check in
0Share...

User Lists

Related lists from IMDb users

a list of 10000 titles created 2 months ago
 
a list of 39 titles created 4 months ago
 
a list of 92 titles created 11 months ago
 
a list of 18 titles created 8 months ago
 
a list of 63 titles created 30 Apr 2012
 

Connect with IMDb


Share this Rating

Title: Stuart: A Life Backwards (TV 2007)

Stuart: A Life Backwards (TV 2007) on IMDb 7.7/10

Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.

Take The Quiz!

Test your knowledge of Stuart: A Life Backwards.
6 wins & 1 nomination. See more awards »
Learn more

People who liked this also liked... 

Gideon's Daughter (TV 2005)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.1/10 X  

Bill Nighy and Miranda Richardson star in a story of grief and celebrity, set in the intense spring and summer of New Labour's election victory and Diana's death. Nighy is a PR guru who has... See full summary »

Director: Stephen Poliakoff
Stars: Bill Nighy, Miranda Richardson, Emily Blunt
American Horror Story (TV Series 2011)
Drama | Horror | Mystery
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.3/10 X  

An anthology series that centers on different characters and locations, including a haunted house, an insane asylum and a witch coven.

Stars: Evan Peters, Jessica Lange, Lily Rabe
Soldier's Girl (TV 2003)
Crime | Drama | Romance
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.7/10 X  

The true story of a young soldier beaten to death for falling in love with a transgendered nightclub performer.

Director: Frank Pierson
Stars: Troy Garity, Lee Pace, Andre Braugher
The Newsroom (TV Series 2012)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.5/10 X  

A news anchor's life is stirred up when he's forced to work with a new team of colleagues.

Stars: Emily Mortimer, Jeff Daniels, John Gallagher Jr.
United I (2011)
Drama | History | Sport
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.2/10 X  

United is based on the true story of Manchester United's legendary "Busby Babes", the youngest side ever to win the Football League and the 1958 Munich Air Crash that claimed eight of the ... See full summary »

Director: James Strong
Stars: Dean Andrews, Kate Ashfield, Natalie Burt
Suits (TV Series 2011)
Comedy | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.8/10 X  

On the run from a drug deal gone bad, Mike Ross, a brilliant college-dropout, finds himself a job working with Harvey Specter, one of New York City's best lawyers.

Stars: Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, Meghan Markle
Once Upon a Time (TV Series 2011)
Adventure | Drama | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.1/10 X  

A woman with a troubled past is drawn to a New England town where fairy tales are to be believed.

Stars: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.6/10 X  
Director: Andrew Hutton
Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Jamie Parker, Aidan McArdle
Richard II (30 Jun. 2012)
Drama | History
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8/10 X  

Fey,vain and foolish,young Richard initiates his downfall by banishing Henry Bolingbroke and the Earl of Mowbray as a resolution to their feud and then confiscating the lands of his uncle,... See full summary »

Director: Rupert Goold
Stars: David Bradley, Richard Bremmer, Daniel Boyd
Joe's Palace (TV 2007)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.7/10 X  

A drama centered on the relationship between Elliot, a strange and wealthy Londoner, and Joe, a teenager who takes care of an empty house Elliot owns.

Director: Stephen Poliakoff
Stars: Michael Gambon, Danny Lee Wynter, Rupert Penry-Jones
Drama | History
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.5/10 X  

1403:- Henry IV finds himself facing uprisings from the Welsh chieftain Owen Glendower and impetuous young Harry Hotspur,son of the Duke of Northumberland,angry with the king for not paying... See full summary »

Director: Richard Eyre
Stars: Alun Armstrong, Joe Armstrong, John Ashton
Small Island (TV 2009)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7/10 X  

In 1939 Hortense, illegitimate but intelligent and ambitious, is brought up on Jamaica with the family of charismatic, free-thinking Michael, who joins the Air Force when war breaks out and... See full summary »

Director: John Alexander
Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Naomie Harris, David Oyelowo
Edit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
Alexander Masters
...
Stuart Shorter
Nicola Duffett ...
Judith
Claire-Louise Cordwell ...
Karen
Edna Doré ...
Gran
...
Sophie
Joanna Maude ...
Ruth
Trevor Sellers ...
John
Barbara Barnes ...
Wintercomfort Secretary
Hugh Armstrong ...
Old Drunk
George Anton ...
Dangerous Ginger
Dominic Kemp ...
Academic Man
Shenagh Govan ...
Bookish Woman
Caroline Parker ...
Deaf Jackie
Richard Cant ...
Dainty Man
Edit

Storyline

When Stuart Shorter - a homeless alcoholic with a violent past - meets writer and charity worker Alexander Masters, they strike up an unlikely friendship. As Alexander learns more about Stuart's complicated life and traumatic childhood, he asks if he can write his story and Stuart advises him to tell the story backwards, so that it's "More exciting - like a Tom Clancy murder mystery". As their remarkable alliance develops, Stuart gradually recounts his life story in reverse, his resilient personality and dry sense of humour giving the story an almost tragi-comic edge. Through post office heists, attempts at suicide and spells inside numerous institutions, Alexander is given a glimpse into a totally alien world and begins to understand how Stuart's life spiralled so badly out of control. Written by Anonymous

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Genres:

Drama

Parents Guide:

 »
Edit

Details

Official Sites:

|

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

23 September 2007 (UK)  »

Also Known As:

Stjuart: Zivot Unatraske  »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Color:

See  »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Post Office featured in 1979 and 1993 scenes is the former Post Office (now an empty shop) at Fen Ditton, near Cambridge. See more »

Goofs

When Alexander lets Stuart into his house for the first time (about 7-8 minutes into the film) the shadow of the camera falls on the door as he closes it. See more »

Quotes

Stuart Shorter: What a load of bollocks! Who needs the queen?
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Moving
24 September 2007 | by (United Kingdom) – See all my reviews

I watched this movie expecting something formulaic and contrived, the trailers seemed to bait you using voyeuristic clips with dramatic lighting and contrasting images, but it turns out this is a true story and the writer cleverly manages to play with your feelings to get you to dislike the main character. I fell into this trap and actually found Stuart really annoying to begin with but by the end of this movie his life story unravels and you realise how easy it is to judge people on face value. It's a remarkable and sad story that has elements we must all connect with, either through guilt or empathy, I was absorbed. Alexander Masters manages to show us a real life story that mocks all the the trivial, money-spinning, pathetic and ridiculous books that publishers churn out from the likes of tit-models like Jordan or Robbie Williams.


12 of 21 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

Message Boards

Recent Posts
Where can i find it? limeatron
On BBC2 Sept 23 - UK HappyToyBoat
Trailer characterslong
tragic story of a tortured man crucified_for_your_sins
DVD Release Announcement... revfilms-2
photography paddy-2
Discuss Stuart: A Life Backwards (2007) on the IMDb message boards »

Contribute to This Page

Create a character page for:
?