Flashbacks of a Fool From:Daniel Craig , Harry Eden , Eve , Miriam Karlin , Jodhi May , Baillie Walsh , Starz / Anchor Bay ,
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Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 0013131609394
Format: Color
Format: DVD-Video
Format: Widescreen
Format: NTSC
Label: Starz / Anchor Bay
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
Number Of Items: 1
Packaged Height: 58 hundredths-inches
Packaged Length: 710 hundredths-inches
Packaged Weight: 18 hundredths-pounds
Packaged Width: 542 hundredths-inches
Publisher: Starz / Anchor Bay
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2008-11-04
Running Time: 110 minutes
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Product Description:
Daniel Craig delivers a startling performance as Joe Scott, a washed-up Hollywood star adrift in a haze of sex, drugs and squandered fame. But when he receives news of the sudden death of his childhood best friend, Joe flashes back to his younger self (played by Harry Eden of Oliver Twist) in his small English seaside village and the summer of innocence and tragedy that would change his life forever. Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense), Claire Forlani (CSI:NY) and Eve co-star in this powerful drama about love, loss and one man’s journey to redemption, executive produced by Daniel Craig and featuring songs by Scott Walker, David Bowie and Roxy Music.
Customer Reviews:
 Daniel Craig gets a bit cheeky, 2009-01-05
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.
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