The life of Neil Baldwin, a man who has shrugged off his perceived limitations to live an incredible life.The life of Neil Baldwin, a man who has shrugged off his perceived limitations to live an incredible life.The life of Neil Baldwin, a man who has shrugged off his perceived limitations to live an incredible life.
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
6K
YOUR RATING
- Director
- Julian Farino(attached)
- Writer
- Stars
Top credits
- Director
- Julian Farino(attached)
- Writer
- Stars
- Awards
- 12 wins & 4 nominations total
- Director
- Julian Farino(attached)
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- See more cast details at IMDbPro
Storyline
Neil Baldwin, born just after World War II, is considered to have learning difficulties but he has an appetite for life and, encouraged by his mother Mary, leaves his butchery job to join the circus as Nello the Clown, being undaunted when the circus moves on without him. He moves to Keele University, where Mary has a cleaning job, appointing himself the unofficial greeter to new students, a role rewarded by an honorary degree in 2013. He also gets to manage its unofficial football team, named after him, and in 1992 talks his way into becoming the kit man and mascot of his beloved football team Stoke City. For Neil there are no boundaries - his interest in religion leads to his becoming a lay preacher whilst he presents himself at the House of Commons for tea with MP Tony Benn and at Cambridge University, where he strikes up a friendship with Prince Andrew, which results in his being on the queen's Christmas card list. With his indomitable attitude overcoming early set-backs and the death of his beloved mother for Neil life is - marvellous. —don @ minifie-1
- Genre
- Certificate
- Not Rated
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaThe game in which Neil Baldwin played for Stoke City was Gordon Cowan's of Aston Villa's testimonial at Villa Park. Baldwin missed an open goal as the opposition attempted to let him score when a late substitute.
- Quotes
Neil Baldwin: I always wanted to be happy, so I decided to be.
- ConnectionsFeatures Trapetsi (1956)
Top review
My heart is warm
As others have said the title of this film sums it up perfectly. Neil or Nello is a little different, but manages through his own innocence, love of life and the fear switch turn firmly to off to have a more interesting life than most of us. The film does not gloss over his difficulties or the fact that he is not always treated kindly. It does however show that he expects things to work out and for others to be as nice as he is. Mostly his faith in human nature is justified. The relationship with his mother is so touching. She wants to protect and look after him but her advancing age makes her realise that the only way she can do this is to make him more independent. He struggles with everyday tasks much more than he does with the less than ordinary places which make up his daily life, Keele University, Stoke City FC and even the House of Commons. This film made me laugh and cry. I was a student at Keele in the 1980s, I knew Nello quite well. Seeing him appear as his older self in the film was great. This story is true, if anything it slightly underplays just how marvellous Nello is.
helpful•30
- melaniedudley
- Apr 13, 2015
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