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Eat the Rich (1987) movie poster

Timeline

Eat the Rich (1987) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1987 · 90 mins · English
Starring
Robbie Coltrane, Miranda Richardson, Paul McCartney, Dawn French, Bill Wyman, Katrin Cartlidge

Alex, a disgruntled waiter at a pretentious upscale restaurant, hits hard times and faces the scorn of the elite. He and his allies launch a violent rampage against the upper class. Simultaneously, the scheming General Karprov and Spider try to enlist the hapless anarchists to sabotage the campaign of an aspiring prime minister.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Eat the Rich
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Eat the Rich (1987)

Where can you watch Eat the Rich? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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12 events in order · contains spoilers

Eat the Rich Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Eat the Rich (1987) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Alex at Bastards

    Alex works as a waiter in the high-class Bastards restaurant, where the snobbish clientele treat staff with contempt. He endures daily humiliation until a moment of impulsive rudeness costs him his job. This opening set-up highlights the class tensions that drive the story.

    When
    Opening days
    Where
    Bastards, London
  2. Fired for rudeness

    Alex is dismissed from Bastards after a confrontation with the clientele. The firing underscores the class divide that marks his world. The event sends him toward a desperate, boundary-pushing path.

    When
    Shortly after opening
    Where
    Bastards, London
  3. Embassy terrorist act

    Alex witnesses a terrorist act at an embassy, a moment of chaos that disrupts his life. The incident exposes him to danger and to the ruthless edges of politics. It acts as a catalyst for the extreme choices he will make.

    When
    Same day as the incident
    Where
    Embassy district, London
  4. Home Secretary ends the crisis

    The Home Secretary, a beer-loving and hard-edged figure, is depicted as the darling of voters and the press. It is noted that he ended the terrorist situation earlier, solidifying his grip on power. Fiona, a glamorous KGB agent, moves in his orbit.

    When
    Previously, during the embassy crisis
    Where
    London, government offices
  5. Robbing a benefits office

    In a desperate turn, Alex robs a benefits office and goes on the run with a new friend. The act marks a break from his former life and signals his willingness to take radical measures. The pursuit and chaos that follow heighten the sense of danger around him.

    When
    After embassy incident
    Where
    Benefits office, London
  6. On the run with a new ally

    Alex and his new ally flee together, forming a loose partnership in their scramble to stay ahead of authorities. They plan to survive in a world that seems to be closing in around them. The collaboration marks the birth of a new, rebellious chapter.

    When
    During the flight
    Where
    London streets
  7. Fortune, Karprov and Spider oppose the Home Secretary

    The Home Secretary's enemies include Commander Fortune, General Karprov, and Spider, who scheme to derail his campaign. Their plots thread through political backrooms and underground networks, complicating the power struggle. The looming confrontation between these forces and the government drives much of the tension.

    When
    Between embassy incident and Bastards return
    Where
    Political circles, London
  8. Fortune and Spider plot a revolution

    Fortune and Spider advance a revolution with a difference, manipulating events to destabilize the Home Secretary's power. Their plans hint at using mass upheaval to realign control. The ongoing tension between powerful actors remains a constant backdrop.

    When
    Midpoint
    Where
    Secret headquarters, London
  9. Alex returns to Bastards with anarchists

    Alex returns to Bastards with a four-person team of anarchists. They confront the staff and patrons, asserting control over the venue. The move signals a bold shift in the balance of power and sets up the ensuing upheaval.

    When
    Return to Bastards
    Where
    Bastards, London
  10. Bastards becomes Eat the Rich

    The team lays waste to the clientele and staff, transforming Bastards into Eat the Rich. The act is a dark satire and a direct attack on the wealthy. The new restaurant stands as a symbol of rebellion against the elite.

    When
    During upheaval
    Where
    Bastards -> Eat the Rich
  11. Fortune and Spider realize the menu

    Commander Fortune and Spider realize what is on the menu, recognizing the danger to the political order. They formulate a plot to remove the Home Secretary for good. The revelation intensifies the conspiracy as the conflict nears a tipping point.

    When
    After the restaurant transformation
    Where
    London political scene
  12. Final setup: plots to topple the Home Secretary

    With the restaurant rebellion underway, the players set their schemes in motion to topple the Home Secretary. The story culminates in a looming clash between anarchists and political power. The tension remains high as each side moves toward a climactic confrontation.

    When
    Endgame
    Where
    London

Last updated: February 18, 2026 at 23:43

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Timeline questions answered

Eat the Rich Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Eat the Rich (1987): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Alex return to the restaurant with anarchists?

After being fired and experiencing the daily humiliation from wealthy patrons, Alex returns with a group of anarchists to exact revenge. The cumulative abuse and loss of his job have pushed him to violent action. He transforms Bastards into 'Eat the Rich' as a brutal statement against the upper class that discarded him.

Foreshadowing: The opening scenes establish Alex's growing resentment through repeated instances of contemptuous treatment by restaurant guests.

  • alex
  • bastards restaurant
  • anarchists
  • revenge
  • class revenge
Q2

What does 'Eat the Rich' actually mean in the movie?

The title refers to the literal transformation of the upscale restaurant into a venue where the wealthy patrons become food. The anarchists serve the wealthy guests in a macabre fashion, turning the class satire into dark cannibalism. This extreme act symbolizes the ultimate reversal of power between the elite and the oppressed.

  • eat the rich
  • cannibalism
  • restaurant
  • satire
  • class reversal
Q3

Why does Alex rob a benefits office after witnessing the embassy attack?

Alex is pushed to desperation after seeing the terrorist attack at the embassy. With his job lost and the city in chaos, he seizes the moment to rob a benefits office. This act represents his complete break from his previous life and signals his willingness to take extreme, criminal measures to survive.

Foreshadowing: His firing from Bastards already set him on a desperate path.

  • alex
  • benefits office
  • robbery
  • desperation
  • embassy attack
Q4

How do the political conspirators connect to Alex's restaurant takeover?

Commander Fortune and General Karprov are plotting to remove the Home Secretary from power. When they discover what's happening at the restaurant, they see an opportunity to destabilize the government further. Their political scheme runs parallel to Alex's violent rebellion, adding a layer of manipulation where the anarchists become unwitting tools in a larger power struggle.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows Fortune and Spider hatching their plot only after learning about the restaurant events.

  • fortune
  • karprov
  • spyder
  • home secretary
  • conspiracy
  • political plot
Q5

Why is the Home Secretary important to the story?

The Home Secretary is the conservative figure poised to become prime minister. He ended the embassy terrorist crisis, making him popular with voters. His political opponents, Fortune, Karprov, and Spider, want to sabotage his campaign. The restaurant rebellion becomes a tool they attempt to use against him, linking Alex's personal vendetta to a larger political battle.

Foreshadowing: The Home Secretary is introduced as someone who 'helped bring the embassy crisis to a close' and has enemies plotting against him.

  • home secretary
  • prime minister
  • election
  • political campaign
  • Fiona Richmond
Q6

Why does Commander Fortune want to remove the Home Secretary?

Fortune envisions what he calls 'a revolution with a difference', a way to reshape power without true mass upheaval. The Home Secretary stands in his way as the leading candidate for prime minister. By exploiting the chaos at the restaurant and potentially linking it to the government, Fortune hopes to destroy the Home Secretary's political future and advance his own schemes.

  • commander fortune
  • revolution
  • home secretary
  • political scheme
Q7

What happens to the wealthy patrons during the takeover?

The wealthy diners who once looked down on Alex become victims of the anarchists' violent retribution. The restaurant is transformed into a gruesome scene where the patrons are served as the 'menu', a literal manifestation of the title 'Eat the Rich.' This extreme violence serves as the film's dark satirical punchline about class warfare.

Foreshadowing: The transformation of Bastards into Eat the Rich marks the turning point where the revenge becomes literal.

  • wealthy patrons
  • violence
  • restaurant takeover
  • revenge
  • class violence
Q8

Why does the film end with an ambiguous conclusion?

The open-ended finish reflects the film's chaotic, anti-establishment message. By not resolving whether the revolution succeeds or fails, the film leaves the outcome of class warfare deliberately uncertain. This ambiguity underscores the unpredictability of violent uprising and refuses to offer false closure on themes of social upheaval.

  • ending
  • ambiguous
  • revolution
  • open ending
  • resolution

Movie threads

More Movies Like Eat the Rich, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Eat the Rich tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Anarchic Class Warfare Satire Movies like Eat the Rich

Violent and chaotic uprisings where the oppressed turn the tables on the elite. If you liked the darkly comic class warfare in Eat the Rich, explore these movies featuring violent uprisings, biting social satire, and chaotic battles between the oppressed and the elite.

  • anarchic
  • satirical
  • violent
  • class struggle
  • revolution
  • dark comedy
  • Tone: dark, satirical, violent
  • Pacing: fast, chaotic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives follow disenfranchised characters who reach a breaking point, leading them to orchestrate increasingly chaotic and violent acts against a corrupt and oppressive upper class. The plots often escalate into full-blown rebellion, challenging the status quo with brutal and satirical force.

Why they belong together: They share a core theme of class struggle executed through a lens of dark humor and violent action, creating a cathartic and chaotic viewing experience centered on societal upheaval.

Satirical Political Thrillers Similar to Eat the Rich

Chaotic plots where political sabotage collides with darkly comic social commentary. Fans of the political intrigue and dark satire in Eat the Rich will enjoy these movies where chaotic schemes, sabotage, and biting commentary on power create a uniquely tense and humorous experience.

  • political satire
  • conspiracy
  • sabotage
  • dark comedy
  • tense
  • anarchic
  • Tone: dark, satirical, tense
  • Pacing: fast, intricate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories intertwine personal vendettas or social discontent with larger political machinations. Characters often become pawns or catalysts in schemes that expose the absurdity and corruption of powerful institutions, leading to chaotic and ambiguous outcomes.

Why they belong together: They combine the fast-paced, high-stakes tension of a thriller with the irreverent, critical perspective of satire, resulting in a complex and engaging critique of power structures.

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Every angle

Eat the Rich (1987) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Eat the Rich in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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