Leigh Neil I watched this film with virtually no expectations, simply because I was curious about Daniel Craig outside the action genre. To my great surprise, I thought it was one of the best and most moving performances I have seen from him; largely due to its simplicity and resulting, relatively narrow focus. The greatest surprises, though, were the quality of the direction and the performances from the two young stars playing the main characters in the flashback scenes. The fact that I grew up through the 60s and 70s made this film a lot more accessible to me, with the music of Bowie and Ferry etc. a feature perfectly chosen to highlighted the era's mood just as I recall from those teenage years. I suspect that relatively few moviegoers will rave about this film but to those of us for whom it is contemporary, it triggers strongly emotional memories and maybe - as in my case - a sense of melancholy loss. The precise and skillful direction makes the most of an intense but narrow subject matter and the acting is perfectly matched to the roles. It may never be listed on the roll of greatest-ever movies, but it is, and will remain, one of my favourite movies of all time. It was a few years ago that I first watched it and still, to this day, I find myself frequently remembering and contemplating particular scenes from it. Highly recommended for anyone born in the early 60s who doesn't mind remembering the mistakes, pain and angst of their growing up.

travis-lipshus Flashbacks of a Fool. Daniel Craig proving his ability outside of Bond has played patron to both lead actor and executive producer in this cagey 2008 film. He plays aged actor Joe Scott, a Hollywood veteran who experiences a rude awakening for the shallowness of his life when fame begins to fade. His life, that of copious amounts of cocaine use, an abundance of loose sex with beautiful women, expensive wine and no real connection to anything just isn't going well allegedly.Meet young Joe Scott, the star of the second act and most of the film played by Harry Eden who delivers a powerful performance exploring the romanticism of the female and her sexual fruits for most of the film. Joe as a teenage boy supplies the detail and meaning for act one, the cause of a washed up crackhead years down the track.Written and directed by Baillie Walsh who has a sterling resume of involvement in music producing previous documentaries on INXS, Oasis and Massive attack, develops in the story great nostalgic rhythms created by a host of details but the soundtrack especially, a dilemma of David Bowie and early Roxy music. An even greater Romanticist than Amory Blaine, every sexual encounter for Joe Scott is like speeding round a blind corner, indeed the first shot of young Joe is of him and his best friend masturbating together. Here builds the reason (they're not gay) for his returning to England for his old friends funeral in act three.The casting is correct providing the trimming to already well characterised and emotional identifiable roles. This allows nostalgia to sweep you along with the second acts new adolescent pace connecting stories recited by your parents and filling it with everyones common knowledge of fashion and hey I'm not discounting epigenetic memory either.Costume design is fantastic the familiarity of the present and retro delivered near perfect again being helped along by the casting. The awesome cinematography beginning with the splendid blue horizon in the beach side Malibu coastline contrasted against the rugged British summer and their excuse of a beach. With some eventful appearances from Eve, Mark Strong and Gina Athans (see below) its worth watching just for the off chance the film incites some feeling in you lost by the bashing of hollywoods seasonal crap.Just one of the women Joe Scott penetrates The ending ties the first two acts together, barely and far too bluntly as if lacking closure to some (my girlfriends sister) but the emotional carry through from the middle defining point allows it to sublimely close, at least for me, being stoned does help.If you enjoy good music and diabolical sluts then you'll be stoked. Its two out of five joints!By Travis Lipshus, for more reviews check out http://travislipshus.blogspot.com.au/

TxMike I found this one on Netflix streaming movies. It starts quite spicily, with Joe Scot, successful film actor living and working in California, cavorting nude with two buxom young ladies. The next morning they get dressed and leave, while Joe is eventually awakened by his accountant and housekeeper. Joe seems to have no standards, no boundaries, and in a scene later that day also seems to have lost his luster. His fame may be running its course.The movie is mostly about Joe's younger life growing up in a seaside town in England. The adult Joe Scot is played very nicely by Daniel Craig. But we see that as a teen, growing up normally in many ways, he fell into a situation with an older woman, followed quickly by a tragedy, which got Joe to run away from his present, and to stay away from his past. For 25 years. He finally returns to his home when he gets word that his best teenage friend had died.It was a long and hard lesson for Joe to learn, how to achieve some happiness in his life.

M MALIK wow i am kicking myself after buying this film.starting Daniel Craig flashbacks of a fool 2008 is about a Hollywood star who wastes life buy having sex & drugs & doing crazy things like shouting at people & getting berserk .the movie starts with Daniel Craig with some funny moments but goes into a flashback as he thinks about his past life in 70s .how he had sex with a lady younger then her & smooching girls .listening to weird music & etc. after attending his old friends funeral he goes back to his crazy life.this movie has nothing to see in it.Daniel Craig is worst at acting in this like he does in his James bond films. he was feeling bad & did it only for the money.the film tried to be an artistic but failed.my rating is 1/10. don't watch this unless you have nothing.