Flashbacks of a Fool (2008)

A fading Hollywood star looks back at the days of his youth as he returns home from his best friend's funeral.

Director:

Baillie Walsh

Writer:

Baillie Walsh

Stars:

Daniel Craig, Harry Eden, Eve

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Emile Robert	...	Young Joe Scot
Scoutt Lowe	...	Young Boots McKay
Daniel Craig	...	Adult Joe Scot
Julie Ordon	...	Carrie Ann
Gina Athans	...	Apple
Erich Conrad	...	Voice of Radio DJ (voice)
Eve	...	Ophelia Franklin
Emilia Fox	...	Sister Jean
Annabel Linder	...	Dawn
Angie Ruiz	...	Priscilla
Sue Dall	...	Maitre D
Mark Strong	...	Mannie Miesel
Alwyn Kotze	...	Ritchie Smith
Pope Jerrod	...	Waiter
Darron Meyer	...	Valet

Storyline

An aging Hollywood star, Joe Scott, lives a life of narcissistic hedonism, observed by his laconic personal assistant, Ophelia. The death of his childhood best friend, Boots, takes our protagonist, and the movie, into an extended flashback to a sea-side town in 1970's Britain. Hollywood star Joe is now a teenage boy in a tentative relationship with a school-girl called Ruth. Further, his mother's friend, Evelyn, is attempting to seduce him. Engulfed by guilt at the unintended, tragic consequences of his subterfuge, he leaves home. The movie then switches back to contemporary Hollywood. Joe confronts his fear and returns to England for a difficult meeting with Ruth, who had gone on to marry Boots and has been a left a poor widow.

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Plot Keywords:

male objectification | bare chested male | barefoot male | bare butt | sleeping shirtless | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 October 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bir Aptalın Anıları

Filming Locations:

Field Road, Denham, Uxbridge, London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,020, 19 October 2008

Gross USA:

$1,664

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,117,269

Company Credits

Production Co:

Left Turn Films, Ugly Duckling Films, Lipsync Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Baillie Walsh, this feature film's director, also directed its star Daniel Craig in a television commercial (tvc). This TV advert was 'Bond in Sony High Definition' (2008) (V), which debuted in the same year as both this picture, and the James Bond movie 'Quantum of Solace' (2008) starring Craig. The tvc was a promotional tie-in with the latter.

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Goofs

None of the cars that were supposed to be in California, had a front California License Plate. They only had rear California plates. California is a front and rear plate State.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Apple: He's got no stamina.
[giggle]
Apple: I love your nose.
Carrie Ann: Oh, thanks. I wanted to get my nose done since I was ten. It wasn't as simple as I thought. The doctors found out that I didn't have any cartilage in the tip of my nose. So then he needs to do that. Um, my nose was too long, so, I needed to shorten it. And then it was too wide so I had to thin it. And, uh, it was just a lot more complicated than I thought. My nose was just an insane amount of money.
[continues babbling]

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Connections

References Ring of Bright Water (1969)

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Soundtracks

The Jean Genie
Performed by David Bowie
Written by David Bowie
Published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd. /Tintoretto Music / RZO Music Ltd. / Chrysalis Music Ltd.
Courtesy of RZO Music

User Reviews

If you are willing to become emotionally involved - this film is for you.

This film was right up my street. I would recommend it to anyone who is happy and indeed eager to become emotionally involved in a story. I have to say that the lip sync sequence was outstanding and it stayed in my head for days afterwards. I was thinking about the film for days after I'd seen it. There was something incredible for me in the way the whole film was shot but especially the flashbacks to the seaside - it awoke something for me from that era that I had forgotten about from my childhood and I found it strangely comforting. Not that I grew up near the sea but it struck a chord deep inside. How great to be able to capture something so brilliantly and bring it to life for others. I am envious of Baillie WALSH for this but thank God for him also. I look forward to seeing what else can be done.

Daniel CRAIG was stunning in the role, and brought it to life by showing us something we haven't seen in him too often - the sadder/nastier character - although his physique was maybe a little too perfect to make the decadent, fast living, hedonistic junkie completely believable - although I will forgive him for this! Harry EDEN who played the young Joe showed us all the awkwardness of youth and adolescence along with the desperation to grow up and all it's pitfalls. He was stunning on screen and oozed fragility. I would have liked to see the link showing how young Joe became an actor but understand there is a limit to how long a film can reasonably be.

Similarly to NOTES ON A SCANDAL and THE MOTHER - this for me was the kind of film that I could enjoy over and over and each time still feel that I am a seeing something I shouldn't - like a secret - and watching every delicious moment without being noticed myself.