Cast Daniel Craig Helen McCrory Olivia Williams Emilia Fox Mark Strong James D'Arcy Claire Forlani Jodhi May Alfie Allen Sid Mitchell Harry Eden Max Deacon Felicity Jones.
Plot Joe Scott (Craig) is a burned-out Hollywood star. Struggling on the verge of mental collapse, he is further shaken by the death of his childhood friend Boots (Max Deacon). His reminiscences of growing up in a small English seaside town throw perspective on his current plight...
Review
Having graduated from short films, music videos and documentaries, Baillie Walsh is a relative newcomer to feature-length fiction. He’s also good mates with Daniel Craig and openly admits that if it weren’t for his support, Flashbacks Of A Fool would never have been made.
Friendship like that can be a help and a hindrance. On one hand, it’s hard enough for a filmmaker to get anything made at all. And yet, while Craig isn’t known for choosing his material recklessly, in a situation like this there is the danger of the script going into production before it’s strong enough, or - as is the case here - when it’s not really right at all. Whether or not you know about the offscreen friendship of star and director, there’s an inescapable sensation that pervades Walsh’s film: it’s not quite the story he originally wanted to tell.
In fact, there are two good, if familiar, stories here: Brit star Scott (Daniel Craig) does more than enough cocaine to assist his habit of banging models two at a time in his Malibu mansion. He’s also fallen off the A-list and is having trouble getting work, and very public spats with his agent. However, despite his narcissism, he is shocked when he learns of the death of his old best friend, and he wanders out into the Pacific for some ocean therapy. Back to 1972. Joe is a naïve, handsome 15 year-old, who has one hell of a coming-of-age summer holiday involving local princess Ruth (Felicity Jones) and Mum’s friend from two doors down (Jodhi May).
‘Flashbacks’ manages its details well, but can’t control a much bigger problem - the titular conceit. It brings to mind Paul McGuigan’s Gangster No.1, which contains two superb performances (Paul Bettany and Malcolm McDowell), but is crippled by the fact that never for a second can you believe they’re the same character. Here, Walsh sets up both the contemporary scenes and the flashbacks (there are really only two) nicely, garners a rash of solid performances from the whole cast, and even creates a devastatingly effective set piece. But those two threads just won’t weave together, which is as huge a problem as the schism itself.
Verdict 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.
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Average user rating for Flashbacks Of A Fool
A sexually charged stick of dynamite that explodes with raw emotion and passion. Brilliantly acted by all, but it's Daniel craig who I take my hat off to for stepping out of his element into less comfortable territory. ... Read More
c'mon I usually look to you guys to give me the low-down but these last 12 months, I have to say you chaps are really off-key.
Moving, touching, beautiful and "memorable" film.
great music and some great scenes, maybe not too original but I found myself wondering half way who the director was.
Walsh is someone we should all look out for!
everyone should watch it
I suspect one of your writers should be writing pieces for the daily mirror or something............. ... Read More
One big flaw manages to somewhat ruin a beautiful film
The title I have given sums up what I'm about to say in this mini-review. Flashbacks of a Fool is perfectly acted, has a perfect plot (two,actually), and leaves a good impression on you. The only problem is almost unnoticable, but when you think about it it kind of ruins the whole film.
Said problem lies with the two leads, Daniel Craig and Harry Eden. They play their individual parts, as I have already mentioned, flawlessly, but when you consider that they both play the same character, it just... Read More
I saw this last night, it's not the best film in the world and is easily forgetable when you see it but with some good pefomances and wicked songs from David Bowie and Bryan Ferry, it's good. Okay Daniel Craig isn't so sexy in this as when he's Bond though you see his ass and drink tea! Yes, he can drink tea and ooze sexual appeal! There are loads of famous names and faces appear but they don't stand a chance to shine which is a massive shame. You only have a forty-five minutes of him looking b... Read More
I thought this was a wonderful film full of emotion. Excellent dance scene between young joe scott & ruth. Can't wait for it to come out on DVD. ... Read More
Young Joe Scott, played by Harry Eden, and his childhood crush, Ruth, played by Felicity Jones, are certain to be two of Britain’s upcoming stars. As we are taken back in time, Joe’s hormonal emotions are depicted so truthfully we can relate to them as if they are our very own.
The performances from Daniel Craig, Harry Eden, and Felicity Jones particularly make this film a must see. The writer/director, Baillie Walsh, creates an almost dreamlike quality to his shots which results i... Read More
Young Joe Scott, played by Harry Eden, and his childhood crush, Ruth, played by Felicity Jones, are certain to be two of Britain’s upcoming stars. As we are taken back in time, Joe’s hormonal emotions are depicted so truthfully we can relate to them as if they are our very own.
The performances from Daniel Craig, Harry Eden, and Felicity Jones particularly make this film a must see. The writer/director, Baillie Walsh, creates an almost dreamlike quality to his shots which results i... Read More
Beautiful, emotional film that is a joy to watch. The stellar performances from an impressive cast makes a visually stunning film an emotive one to watch at the same time. There is one scene that will make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. Daniel Craig makes a brave move portraying a washed up film star and Harry Eden nails his younger version of Daniel's character, an actor mature beyond his years. A must see film!
... Read More
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