And so we experience Alexander Masters' useful screenplay of his own book about a violent, psychopathic, drug-addicted street dweller who's been abused, let down by the system and criminalised - who becomes his friend ('a real meal for an actor', Tom Hardy says in the extras) through humour and honesty. Indeed it is Stuart's own idea to tell the story backwards and thus we don't really know what shit this guy went through until nearly the end.
It is a powerful, funny piece, incredibly well acted by Tom Hardy and Benedict Cumberbatch. From the interviews, Hardy sounds like he's had a tough life / issues of his own, speaks thoughtfully, and copiously; when he breaks into a smile, it's like the sun has come out. He talks about when you've learned the lines and are not bumping into the furniture, that's when you 'rise above the words' and start making it a performance - and this is certainly what Benedict does, as his part isn't written to be very revealing about himself, yet in his reactions and his presence he is every bit as good as Hardy.
Made by BBC Wales and HBO it was broadcast as a TV film and probably hasn't found enough of an audience. Q discovered it whilst researching production companies.
With Nicola Duffett, Claire-Louise Cordwell, Edna Doré.
No comments:
Post a Comment