Flashbacks of a Fool (2008)
Average Rating: 4.5/10
Reviews Counted: 21
Fresh: 8 | Rotten: 13
Despite Daniel Craig's earnest efforts, Flashbacks of a Fool suffers from an ambitious but underdeveloped script.
Average Rating: 4.2/10
Critic Reviews: 5
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 4
Despite Daniel Craig's earnest efforts, Flashbacks of a Fool suffers from an ambitious but underdeveloped script.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.3/5
User Ratings: 3,378
Movie Info
Having squandered his stint in the spotlight on hard drugs and reckless sex, washed-up Hollywood has-been Joe Scott (Daniel Craig) reflects on the summer of innocence and tragedy that would alter the course of his life after receiving news that his childhood best friend has suddenly died. As he makes his way back to the quiet English seaside village of his childhood in order to attend the funeral, he finds his journey into the past becoming a journey of both redemption and self-discovery as
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Cast
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Daniel Craig
Joe Scot -
Eve
Ophelia Franklin -
Harry Eden
Teenage Joe Scot -
Olivia Williams
Grace Scot -
Helen McCrory
Peggy Tickell -
Jodhi May
Evelyn Adams -
Miriam Karlin
Mrs. Rogers -
Keeley Hawes
Adult Jessie Scot -
Emilia Fox
Sister Jean -
Mark Strong
Manny Miesel -
James D'Arcy
Jack Adams -
Claire Forlani
Adult Ruth Davies -
Max Deacon
Boots McKay -
Jodie Tomlinson
Jane Adams -
Mia Clifford
Young Jesse Scot -
Felicity Jones
Young Ruth Davies -
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Flashbacks of a Fool Trailer & Photos
All Critics (21) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (8) | Rotten (13) | DVD (4)
Whiile pic doesn't exactly feel like a vanity project, its weak script might have kept it forever in development hell if debutant writer-helmer Baillie Walsh weren't the topliner's good buddy.
Top CriticThe bizarre secret isn't nearly interesting enough to justify the long buildup to it, and since it amounts to bad luck it doesn't really reveal anything about the actor, anyway.
Without Daniel Craig's 007-enhanced profile, it's unlikely that Flashbacks of a Fool would have appeared anywhere except the Netflix queues of his most rabid fans.
While the dialogue is often hackneyed and full of rushed backstory (not enough flashbacks, evidently), the cinematography excels, particularly the chiaroscuro interiors.
An ambitious but disappointing, regret-filled psycho-drama.
Charismatic Daniel Craig plays Joe Scott, a washed up movie star, addicted to a misspent life of sex, drugs and uncool behaviour
... an uninspired rearrangement of familiar elements, with little emotional force to justify the entire project.
Craig does a hopelessly dissipated futuristic Bondish has-been celeb party animal, undone by an overload of hard drugs and sex orgies in a flash forward culture clash of Hollywood excess and soapy UK downhome family values.
Flashbacks flounders in the final third.
Impressively directed and superbly acted by a terrific cast, this is both a nostalgia-fuelled coming-of-age tale and a genuinely moving drama about making peace with the past.
Craig's shaken-but-not-stirred charisma makes the most of an underwritten part, but the movie nearly flat-lines when the actor's not onscreen, which is often.
Fatally, Craig's self-obsessed Joe never develops into anyone more interesting.
It's like an awkward (and how could it not be awkward?) marriage of The Cement Garden and Beaches; an intriguing bit of driftwood, an exotic wreck.
It's a handsome picture but Joe's lack of evolution is unsatisfying.
A two-hour whining session in which Daniel Craig plays fading actor Joe Scott.
An uneven drama that uneasily mixes Hollywood satire and coming-of-age tale, Flashbacks Of A Fool is hampered by its adventurous attempt to link the two. Much like its central character, Walsh's film is stylish but empty.
It's a fool's paradise for Craig as his fading filmstar looks back on how teenage hormones lead to tragedy. Walsh doesn't fritter away Daniel's magnanimity, but the lurch between Hollywood washout and ramshackle English adolescence needs more to bond.
Despite the skilful and evocative photography, the strong cast seem to misfire against the imbalanced structure and clashing styles.
When the record stops spinning Flashbacks Of A Fool doesn't amount to much more than "learn from past mistakes and don't take your life for granted", but it's strikingly shot, perfectly played, and rather well scored.
An array of small successes can't support the crushing weight of the malformed screenplay. Not a complete loss by any means, though, and Walsh is a talent to keep an eye on.
Audience Reviews for Flashbacks of a Fool
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
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- Mrs. Rogers: And you know what they found? A plastic toy animal. Probably been stuck in me bowels for over 20 years.
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Latest News on Flashbacks of a Fool
April 18, 2008:
RT Interview: Director Baillie Walsh on Ziggy, Roxy and Daniel Craig in Flashbacks of a FoolThe first-time helmer sits down with RT to talk about making the transition to feature films with...
April 16, 2008:
RT Interview: Daniel Craig on Bond, Growing Up and Fading Out in HollywoodThe Quantum of Solace star talks to RT about his passion project, Flashbacks of a Fool.
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Movie: ID: 770728133 Title: Flashbacks of a Fool Release Date: 2008-04-13 00:00:00.0 MPAA: 4 Status: 1
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Genre: Drama
Question: Do you receive recommendations to see a movie and most of the time you wonder what people saw in the movie that made them like it? Yes, I know I review and recommend movies all the time so maybe just ignore this question. I am still flustered over a movie I just finished viewing on Netflix: Flashbacks of a Fool.
Anyway, I wasn't going to review this movie because it hit me hard. I am still trying to figure out exactly why. A friend recommended this movie and their opinion is one that I always take into consideration. But as I like to always say: DON'T TELL ME ANYTHING about the movie so they did not. I am still undecided if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
The movie stars Daniel Craig (a.k.a. Bond, James Bond) as a self-indulgent, alcoholic, narcissist who is a very emotionally bruised man. He is obviously trying, desperately, to forget about his past and winds up alone, beaten and at the end of his rope emotionally. He receives some news one morning after a night of debauchery. It's probably the first connection to the past that he has had in years, decades. This just finally pushes him over the emotional edge. The first 20 minutes or so you see the life he has chosen for himself and why he comes to the beach to reflect back on his life after receiving this news.
That is when the flashbacks come - it's the late '70's somewhere in England on the coast. We see him as a youth - perhaps 15 or 16 years old with his friend. The story then lends itself towards a sexual coming-of-age story or so I thought. I really don't want to reveal anymore because what happens over the course of the next hour should be viewed with little prior knowledge. But I will say something happened that made me an emotional wreck. Then something happened at the end that ripped me apart. Maybe you won't see it but for whatever reason I lost it and had difficulty containing myself for the next hour or so.
This is a profound movie. This is a film about choices and the consequences of those choices especially when it is a selfish one.
Daniel Craig was brilliant in this movie. I always knew he could act and I can watch that blue-eyed actor in almost anything. He may even be my favorite James Bond (Yes!). But the first 20 minutes of watching him spiral down the emotional valley was something that everyone should see. I am not sure why this didn't get anymore PR or press when it was out a few years back. It baffles me some days - movies like Flashbacks of a Fool or other wonderful small indie films that don't get more notice. Well, hopefully, with my small little blog I can help people discover these wonderful gems.
I also have to give credit to the young man who played the younger version of Daniel Craig's character: Harry Eden. He really did a fantastic job as did all the actors in this small film.
My favorite thing: Well, Daniel Craig, of course!
My least favorite thing: I can't say...
Rating: R
Length: 100 minutes
Review: 8 out of 10