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| Flashbacks of a Fool | 
 enlarge | Director: Baillie Walsh
Actors: Daniel Craig, Harry Eden, Eve, Miriam Karlin, Jodhi May
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Category: DVD
List Price: $26.97
Buy Used: $5.25
You Save: $21.72 (81%)
New (45) Used (22) Collectible (1) from $5.25
Avg. Customer Rating:  47 reviews
Sales Rank: 8875
Format: Color, Dvd-video, Widescreen, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 110
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: ANBD16093D
UPC: 013131609394
EAN: 0013131609394
ASIN: B001EASNMW
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: November 4, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Joe scott is a washed-up hollywood star adrift in a haze of sex drugs & squandered fame. But when he receives news of the sudden death of his childhood best friend joe flashes back to his younger self in his small english seaside village & the summer of innocence & tragedy that would change his life forever Studio: Starz/sphe Release Date: 11/04/2008 Starring: Daniel Craig Eve Run time: 113 minutes Rating: Nr
Amazon.com
Leading man Daniel Craig apparently made Flashbacks of a Fool (he was also one of the executive producers) in between stints as James Bond, and you can see why he was attracted to it; Joe Scott, the character he portrays in this film, could hardly be less like the suave, ever-resourceful 007. Ensconced in a fab, oceanfront Malibu crib, Joe is a movie star on the skids. Hooked on coke and drink, engaging in group gropes with dumb Hollywood bimbos, he’s sunk so low that his sassy assistant (Eve) calls him "a disgrace to white folks," and even his agent is sick of him, which is somewhat akin to a parasite dissing its host (it’s a measure of writer-director Baillie Walsh’s script’s lack of depth that we never really see what made Joe so great in the first place, or so bad now). When a call comes that a childhood friend has died, Joe decides to return to his native England for the funeral, whereupon an extended flashback kicks in. Young Joe (Harry Eden), it seems, was as randy and hopelessly naive as a lot of teenage boys. Though he had the hots for the sexiest young thang in town (a coastal village that’s as lovely in its way as the California setting, both of them handsomely photographed by cinematographer John Mathieson; the locations, in fact, are probably the most attractive element of the film), he also wasn’t immune to the advances of Evelyn (Jodhi May), the older married woman who lives next door. And when a tragedy involving Evelyn’s daughter struck while she and Joe were in flagrante, Joe handled it by leaving town, never to return--until now, that is. He discovers that his late pal’s widow is the same young girl Joe’d had his eye on, but otherwise his homecoming is a strangely muted affair; not a lot happens, which pretty much applies to the film overall. In the end, Flashbacks of a Fool has its touching moments, but it might have turned out better had it been both shaken and stirred. --Sam Graham Stills from Flashbacks of a Fool (Click for larger image)
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| Customer Reviews: Read 42 more reviews...
 Daniel Craig gets a bit cheeky January 5, 2009
Cheeky as in "cute buns." Yes, folks, James Bond parades around the first half hour of "Flashbacks of a Fool" baring his cheeks like nobody's business. And for a 40-year-old guy he's lookin' real good. Just for showing his incredibly hunky body (sorry, no full frontal), I'm giving this flick a better grade than I normally would (see below).
The movie itself is very familiar. A troubled movie star, Joe Scot (Craig), is described by his sassy personal assistant/cook/housekeeper early on in the film as a "self-indulgent damn fool" and "Captain Wacky." Since the movie opens with him making love to two women and snorting cocaine, I would have to agree with her assessment. After his agent dumps him, Joe has a flashback to his teenage years, which introduces us to his younger self (played by the adorable Harry Eden). Young Joe has to deal with various relationships with a male best friend, Boots, a girl he seems to be interested in, Ruth, and an older married lady, Evelyn, who wants to play Mrs. Robinson to his Benjamin. Of course, life gets very complicated for the poor boy, which helps explain to us how he ended up such a mess as an adult.
The performances are terrific: Daniel Craig and Harry Eden are both quite mesmerizing to watch. And the supporting cast of Eve (as Joe's assistant), Jodhi May (as Evelyn), Olivia Williams (as Joe's mother), Felicity Jones (as Ruth), and Max Deacon (as Boots) are all very good. Unfortunately, the movie never makes up its mind on what relationship in Joe's life were supposed to care about the most. At first I thought the film was going to be about his close friendship with Boots, but this is never really explored. And I was confused by his odd relationship with Ruth, who overreacts in a crucial scene. Also, I'm still not sure if Joe's mother is in a lesbian relationship with another woman, Peggy, who lives with them, or if Peggy is just a relative of some sort. By the end of "Flashbacks of a Fool", I was left thinking, "What is the point of this film?" I liked the present-day scenes with Craig and the past ones with Eden, but none of the drama amounted to all that much by the end. And who hasn't already seen a movie about a troubled movie star exploring his past in order to get his life back together? Didn't Meryl Streep already act this role in "Postcards from the Edge" (a far better film--go watch it instead).
So, I can't really recommend the film--unless you're a big Daniel Craig fan and want to check out his fine assets. The acting is wonderful, and I was never bored. However, the story is one we've seen before, and ultimately it just doesn't amount to very much. I give "Flashbacks of a Fool" a C+--and the + is all about Craig's divine cheekiness.
The man who has everything January 2, 2009
Actor Joe Scott has everything he ever wanted: fame, fortune, Malibu mansion. Now firmly ensconced on the self destructive cycle of sex, drugs and loneliness, in one terrible day he finds his career in the dumps and learns that his best friend, whom he hasn't seen in decades, has unexpectedly died back home in England. Joe returns for his funeral, and the rest of the movie focuses upon his memories of growing up and realizing how he got this way.
It's all been done before, and there's nothing fresh or new in Flashbacks of a Fool. The competent acting and lovely background shots can do little to inject life into it. Even the graphic sex is cold. In the end, it is left unclear as to what direction Joe will take as he returns to California. The 3 stars of my rating are in recognition of its strengths.
Not James Bond December 31, 2008
This is not the same actor that I've seen in "Casino Royale" or "Quantum of Solace".That's both the good news and the bad news.I'm not really very familiar with Daniel Craig's earlier work so I found it difficult to accept him in this role.He didn't seem to fit the story,at least in my mind.That colored my reaction to and enjoyment of this movie.That's why I can't really recommend it even though I'll admit that someone who is more familiar with Craig's earlier work might find this to be a good movie and his performance to be perfectly fine.
 Not really bad, but kind of a waste of time December 26, 2008
The acting by Daniel Craig is quite good, but he is only in half the film at most. The story just wasn't that compelling and it was depressing at times. I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone other than the die hard Daniel Craig lovers out there.
 From J. Kaye's Book Blog December 23, 2008
When I requested the movie, I had no idea the title was literally flashbacks of a fool. That was exactly it though. Joe Scott, played by Daniel Craig, is a washed up Hollywood star, who receives a phone call his childhood friend has died. As Scott travels back to his hometown, he flashes back on the event that lead up to the reason he left.
The acting, in my opinion, was phenomenal. There were some who really stood out - Daniel Craig, of course, as well as Eve, who played Scott's personal assistant. There were others like Harry Eden, Olivia Williams, and so many more.
My major problem was the ending. Though realistic, it left a bitter taste in my mouth. I really was dissatisfied with it.
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