slaphappy-76398
I am always blown away by how Tom Hardy uses his voice & body to become a character, fictional or non-fictional. I can't wait to see another film with him in it...I've seen 'Mad Max:Fury Road', 'Dark Knight Rises', 'Inception' and 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy', twice apiece. 'Legend' I have seen three times. He is an actor you just can't stop watching.
I am very puzzled in the above list of plot keywords: pubic hair? male frontal nudity? Why are those the terms listed, instead of :alcoholism, addiction, friendship, childhood trauma?
I do agree with the person who stated this a film most people should see. Addiction has a vice-like grip on large numbers of the globe at this time. This film could open eyes to how to navigate the social issue of addiction.
tohu777
The first reel of this film is very deceiving: you might well think that it's a kind of dramedy, a clichéd story of a do-gooder yuppie activist expanding his horizons and finding his humanity through an acquaintance with a very quirky homeless man. But it's absolutely nothing of the sort. To judge by interviews with BBC producers, the director, and writer Alexander Masters, the final film matches the intentions they had from the start, to make something that wasn't easy and which captured this man Stuart Shorter in all his complexity.Master's script is really compelling & tight. But it's the actors who drive the film: Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hardy together, more often than not in fairly tight sets merely talking. They were already both masters, back when this was filmed. Tom Hardy's role here bears a vague resemblance to his work in Nicolas Refn's film Bronson; though I'd say that this film is even bleaker and more harrowing than Refn's. The eruption of Stuart's pain and self- hate is shocking, and Hardy doesn't ever hold back. The performance compares well to that of Robin Williams' in The Fisher King. In both cases, the actor enters a state that shocks you into concern for them rather than sitting in admiration of a modulated performance. This is an incredibly bleak and brutal film, without the comfort of its having been a fiction.
Sonja Hagemann
I would like to chime in with all the other positive reviews. This is a great film, rough and realistic yet also warmhearted and funny. Tom Hardy's performance as criminal homeless Stuart is magnificent. The usually so intense Benedict Cumberbatch pales in comparison, but that's probably intended, as his character, Alexander, is more of an observer and witness. I recommend this telefilm (which can be found on youtube) to everybody, but as there are different sensibilities when it comes to movies, be warned – you will be confronted with bad language, violence, crime, full frontal nudeness and references to sex. The "black mist"-scene with the knifes deeply upset me, but the scene in which it is finally made clear what really went on in Stuart's childhood home was even more disturbing and still haunts me, although it's much less explicit. To me this picture based on real facts is a must see and gives a lot of food for thought.
Suzanne Lamb
I came across this movie when looking at information about Tom Hardy and when I saw a picture of him and Benedict Cumberbatch I thought that could be interesting...How right a choice I made. This movie is truly amazing. Heartwarming and touching and makes you realise that you judge people far too quickly.A story about a tortured and troubled, yet lovely, caring man.A story about a man, who despite his problems, still helped to campaign to help people he knew had been wrongly imprisoned.Tom Hardy's performance as Stuart is sensational.A must watch for anyone who hasn't seen it. I don't think I've cried that hard in a long time.
AD
