While the dialogue is often hackneyed and full of rushed backstory (not enough flashbacks, evidently), the cinematography excels, particularly the chiaroscuro interiors.
Comment
10/15/08
Flashbacks of a Fool (2008)
38
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:21
Fresh:8
Rotten:13
Average Rating:4.5/10
Consensus: Despite Daniel Craig's earnest efforts, Flashbacks of a Fool suffers from an ambitious but underdeveloped script.
Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Daniel Craig (CASINO ROYALE) plays a stagnating Hollywood actor, Joe Scott, who's awoken from his stupor when he receives word of his childhood friend's death. Scott is soon bombarbed with memories... [More]
Starring: Daniel Craig, Harry Eden, Olivia Williams, Mark Strong
Director: Baillie Walsh
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Reviews for Flashbacks of a Fool
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.
04/18/08
Despite the skilful and evocative photography, the strong cast seem to misfire against the imbalanced structure and clashing styles.
04/18/08
Charismatic Daniel Craig plays Joe Scott, a washed up movie star, addicted to a misspent life of sex, drugs and uncool behaviour
03/21/09
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.
04/18/08
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.
10/18/08
Extremely well-filmed, with terrific performances from the entire cast. But the plot feels underdeveloped.
04/17/08
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.
04/18/08
... an uninspired rearrangement of familiar elements, with little emotional force to justify the entire project.
11/12/08
A two-hour whining session in which Daniel Craig plays fading actor Joe Scott.
04/18/08
Fatally, Craig's self-obsessed Joe never develops into anyone more interesting.
04/18/08
Flashbacks flounders in the final third.
10/18/08
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.
10/17/08
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.
10/17/08
Top CriticCraig’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.
10/16/08
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.
10/18/08
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.
11/09/08
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.
04/18/08
An ambitious but disappointing, regret-filled psycho-drama.
04/18/08
It’s a handsome picture but Joe’s lack of evolution is unsatisfying.
04/18/08
Latest News for Flashbacks of a Fool
November 09, 2008:
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. 
More...
October 20, 2008:
Trailer & Poster review
More...
April 23, 2008:
UK Box Office Breakdown: Craig's Fool Has Disasterous Opening
Daniel Craig's new film - Flashbacks of a Fool - suffers a disastrous opening weekend, coming in at only 11th in the charts. Fool's Gold and Happy Go Lucky are the big successes More...
April 18, 2008:
RT Interview: Director Baillie Walsh on Ziggy, Roxy and Daniel Craig in Flashbacks of a Fool
The first-time helmer sits down with RT to talk about making the transition to feature films with longtime friend Daniel Craig. More...
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