• Trending
    • Certified Fresh & Verified Hot
    • TV Premier dates
    • New horror Movies
    • Best Movies of All Time
  • Movies
    • Movies In Theaters
    • Movies at Home
  • TV Shows
    • New TV
    • Most Popular TV
  • News
    • What to Watch
    • Guides
    • RT News
    • Awards
  • Games
    • Find Your Next Horror Watch
  • Video
  • Showtimes
  • Fanstore
  • About Rotten Tomatoes
  • Critics
  • Download the App Now
  • Logout
Rotten Tomatoes
Suggestions will appear as you start typing. Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App New News Showtimes

The Dark Backward

Play trailer Poster for The Dark Backward R,  1991,  1h 40m,  Comedy/ Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 42% 12 Reviews Tomatometer 60% 500+ Ratings Popcornmeter
42% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 60% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Life changes for a garbageman/would-be comic (Judd Nelson) when a third arm starts growing out of his back.

Critics Reviews

View More
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy May 31, 2026
1.5/4
Nihilistic nonsense. Go to Full Review
Keith Breese Filmcritic.com Aug 22, 2007
2.5/5
just too off-putting Go to Full Review
Brian Webster Apollo Guide Aug 20, 2007
74/100
Odd and twisted, The Dark Backward has plenty to thrill admirers of ugliness and enough food for thought to interest the rest of us too. Go to Full Review
Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault Apr 9, 2007
B
A seriously weird, seriously cool surreal black comedy. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Aug 29, 2005
2/5
Jon Niccum Lawrence Journal-World Apr 23, 2004
4/5
Strange and hilarious Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Harry G Nov 16, 2017 The cult film that never attracted the cult. The Dark Backwards is Terry Gilliam meets John Waters and is easily one of the most original, refreshing, not to mention grotesque, film to come out of the 90s. Say what you will about a movie where a garbage man/aspiring comedian grows a third arm out of his back, this one is an endearing gem. See more
Read all reviews
The Dark Backward

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Cast & Crew

View All

Adam Rifkin

Director

Judd Nelson

Marty Malt

Bill Paxton

Gus

Wayne Newton

Jackie Chrome

Lara Flynn Boyle

Rosarita

James Caan

Dr. Scurvy

More Like This

View All
Birds of America 44% Birds of America Watchlist A Business Affair 38% A Business Affair Watchlist Of Love and Shadows 20% 32% Of Love and Shadows Watchlist Fortune and Men's Eyes 57% 53% Fortune and Men's Eyes Watchlist Just a Little Harmless Sex 20% 57% Just a Little Harmless Sex Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All

The Dark Backward

The Dark Backward (1991) The Dark Backward (1991) The Dark Backward (1991) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Life changes for a garbageman/would-be comic (Judd Nelson) when a third arm starts growing out of his back.
Director
Adam Rifkin
Production Co
Backward Films
Rating
R
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 5, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$7.9K
Runtime
1h 40m
Sound Mix
Surround
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings