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Flashbacks of a Fool (2008)

Director: Baillie Walsh

Time Out rating

Average user rating

32 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

In a scene reminiscent of the ending of Robert Altman’s ‘The Long Goodbye’ – where Sterling Hayden’s suicidal writer strolls out into the sea from his Malibu house – Daniel Craig’s washed-out fortysomething writer, Joe Scott, takes a similarly despairing swim into the Pacific and remembers – in lengthy flashback – his fateful sexual and emotional rites-of-passage 30 years earlier in the glam rock-soundtracked 1970s, in a small seaside town in the south-west of England.

Ex-commercials director Baillie Walsh, in moving country and decade, executes a jarring change of mood, milieu and genre. We are hardly accustomed to his high-tech ’Scope images of the Hollywood elite’s drug- and sex-addled playgrounds, before we’re whisked back to the deceptively snugger, old-fashioned world of this fucked-up career exile’s youth. But it’s hard to read the meaning of his fateful escapades in this world of gaming arcades and rundown beach huts, viewed as they are through the distorting lens of the older Joe’s memory.

The result is an ambitious but disappointing, regret-filled psycho-drama. Some individual scenes are impressive: a portentous, Ian McEwan-lite set-piece involving playing children or the scene illustrating the confusion and nascent vanity of the teenage Joe (the handsome-featured but limited Harry Eden) accepting sex with a conflicted, unhappily married neighbour (Jodhi May), knowing it will disappoint his fellow Bowie-loving first love (the excellent Felicity Jones). But, overall, Walsh’s use of music (Scott Walker) and glossy ‘mid-Atlantic’ direction seems more pretentious than evocative and unsuited to the material, beaching too many of the actors’ performances, not least Craig’s, whose sketchy role precludes any sort of audience sympathy or emotional involvement.

Author: Wally Hammond 2008-04-15 10:06:35

Time Out London Issue 1965: April 17 - 23, 2008

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User reviews of this film

Impossible said...

Posted on May 11 2009 00:28 A movie about poor choices.
Although a great story, it was ruined by some poor choices in direction and editing, that I felt, added nothing to the film and ruined the enjoyment of an overall well made movie and good story. The sexually crude gangsta rap really was quite particularly repulsive over the credits at the end and really detracted from the quality of the film. Also the first the opening orgy was unnecessarily graphic in order to reveal that DC had descended into a hedonistic and superficial lifestyle. The masturbation scene in the ghost train between the two teenage friends was also a poor choice in telling the story. Apparently it revealed how comfortable thy where in each others presence, which was more gross than revealing of this facet to their relationship. I was not comfortable with this and so I could not recommend it to my friends. The R rating in my opinion would reduce its box office success overall and I think reduced the quality of the well made sections of the film.

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Jon Davies said...

Posted on Jan 21 2009 21:46 Haven't seen a film in a long while that just did so many things right - shooting, casting, script, location - they all should be so proud. None of the standard cliches or compromises that a lot of US & UK movies seem to get laden with to make them more 'marketable'.

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Heidi and Peter said...

Posted on Dec 07 2008 20:28 My husband and I just rented this movie last night. We thought we'd watch the movie because we consider Daniel Craig to be an elite Actor. We actually didn't have great expectations before watching the movie, because it got mixed reviews. We were pleasantly surprised how good the movie turned out to be. My husband and I actually watched it three more times. I just don't understand why some people gave it negative comments when it was actually a good movie. NEVER EVER LISTEN TO THE REVIEWS, just see the movie first!

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Jim from greece said...

Posted on Nov 24 2008 17:52 A very good film. The years of innocence lost, the choices we make and the scars that the wrong choices give us. Reminds all the wounds we've burried inside us, fade through time, but never actually go...
A real flashback to our own lives as well.

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Curt said...

Posted on Nov 15 2008 16:13 Dee Gibbs and Wally Hammond completely missed out on what this film was all about but I see most others were as impressed as i was. That shows to never put much stock in a critic, especially a self-indulged English critic. This indeed took me back to those critical junctions when I was young ,and how I didnt always make the best decision, but have to live with those that I made. Felicity indeed stole the show. Great music. Beautiful scenery

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Bauer said...

Posted on Nov 15 2008 06:00 Great movie. Not the 80s, but the seventies. 74, I would presume, Alladin Sane came out in 73, Jean Genie was playing during the HS bedrrom scene. Music, great. Ending, perhaps one of the best. The director limited all of their acting by keeping their parts relatively minimal. Excellent choice. Moives are two hours, roughly. You as the viewer must make the connections. Perhaps, Ruth's clothes were a bit tidy in the end. One snapshot can't dictate what her working attire on the farm pertains to. Many situations in her daily routine may have lead her to the fields. Anyway, great soundtrack, great minimal acting (allow the pieces of the film to shape the movie). All and all, a movie about making a few poor decisions...where will it lead to. Not necessarily hell, but trouble and trouble that needs to be dealt with. Check it out. Good one.

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April H. said...

Posted on Nov 11 2008 04:30 Oops... correction, young Ruth was played by Felicity Jones... She does a great job..

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April H. said...

Posted on Nov 11 2008 04:20 This film is great... The folks that didn't like it haven't experienced the era or the diversity of life's journey as we have that are in our 40's and 50's that truly embraced life through our music in the 70's....
This movie is artful..sexy and mirrors many of our lives...In some ways it is a wake up call and a reminder of what sticks to the soul...
I adored this movie... I do think it moved a bit slow during the 1/2 half but culminated in a moving, sexy and poignant reflection of life's turns and twists..
Fabulous Soundtrack... The Roxy Music - If There is Something and that scene with Harry Eden and Claire Forlani performing to the music is "right on" and indeed took me back.. The music of Roxy, Bowie etc. etc. became part of who we are...
I loved the film... those who slept missed out and aren't of the era to appreciate this genre of this film...
BTW, Daniel Craig is so hot... played the part perfectly..
Harry Eden was the young golden boy perfect for a young Joe. Interesting and so true how both men and women can become so self-absorbed because of their sexual appeal that starts at an early age..

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CraigFan said...

Posted on Nov 06 2008 12:28 The film has alot of loose ends for me, although it had some defining moments such as the felicity jones dance scene, i feel the relationship with the two characters Joe and Ruth is pretty insignificant apart from the fact she went on to marry his best friend boots. Where could of young Joe run off to with no money and a rucksack is beyond me. I dont think daniel craigs part was as important as it should of been, nobody finds out he slept with that whore evelyn everytime she came up on my screen i wanted to punch her i didnt see any resistance from the young joe, bad acting on harry edens half, and daniel craig what is he doing in this film? It was also very depressing but enlightening that he seemed to learn a lesson how i dont know but this film has made me love the song if there was something, and felicity jones fantastic!

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Lucy w said...

Posted on Nov 04 2008 09:27 I thought the film was depressing, the acting wasnt the best but craig was good as always, Felicity jones scene will stay in my memory forever brilliantly shot amazing music and a great character by far i thought she should have been more promiscuis but i get thats made up by Evelyn, The child and the mine was bizarre though, My faveourite song is now if theres something.

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Tom said...

Posted on Jun 11 2008 22:10 I was really touched by the film. Very good story.I will rate 5 stars. Craig is excellent. The best film for me.
I wish this film to win oscar.

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Jan D. said...

Posted on May 25 2008 17:01 Saw this Baillie Walsh film completely by chance as it was the only one starting at the Cinema when we arrived. Absolutely loved it! Beautifully Shot, Cast with Stunning locations. We will be looking out for his next production. Great to see a film that didn't have a hollywood Template.

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Steph said...

Posted on Apr 25 2008 17:36 I've never seen a film like it. It's absolutely beautiful. I'm being serious, go and see it. It's not a waste at all, me and my friend were touched by it and the actors are amazing. The camera work was stunning and the whole film made me think so much more deeply into things.
absolutely amazing, don't miss it.

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Dee Gibbs said...

Posted on Apr 24 2008 16:37 Truly dreadful film - 2 female generations both found it dire. Very silly story line which didn't go anywhere. The only scene worth anything was the clip shown on tv of the bomb blast and Helen McCrory is powerful - but that is it. Daniel Craig is NOT attractive, the married woman is hideous in all senses and the young boy was weak. Don't waste your money.

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Doll said...

Posted on Apr 24 2008 12:28 I loved this film.. it has stayed with me for days. The acting was superb, so was the cinematography and music. I'd definitely go and see it again, love films which make me laugh and cry.....

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