Flashbacks of a Fool

 

 

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This movie didn't score big, it was overlooked and shot down by most of the critics. It's a shame because this is such a beautiful and tragic story, the actors are great, the sceneries and film setting are marvelous, the music-soundtrack is great (Roxy Music, David Bowie). Of course there are a few flaws here and there, but in the end I got to say that I was touched by this film.

Nice to see that playing James Bond hasn't ruined Daniel Craig for smaller, more thoughtful films. "Flashbacks of a Fool" is definitely the second kind of movie -- a juicily thoughtful, bittersweet look back on an actor's past and present lives. It's a touching small-scale story, although Scott's required return home isn't entirely satisfying.

Joe Scott (Craig) is a Hollywood actor who's sliding downhill -- he has sex with random women in an expensive house, snorts lots of coke, and is considered pathetic by his own PA Ophelia (Eve). His career is starting to go downhill as well, since his appearance is being affected by his personal habits. But then he receives a phone call saying that his old friend Boots has just died.

You guessed it: a trip down memory lane ensues, as Joe thinks back to his youth -- he was best buddies with Boots (Max Deacon), hopelessly longed after Ruth (Felicity Jones), whom he was in love with; and was having a secret affair with Evelyn (Jodhi May), a married woman living next door. But a tragedy propelled Scott out of his hometown and off into Hollywood, and helps fuel his miserable empty life to this day. Can he turn it around, or has his guilt consumed him?

"Flashbacks of a Fool" has been done before -- the man who has everything money can buy, yet has nothing that makes him happy. Sex, drugs and stardom can't fill the hole in his soul, et cetera and ad nauseam. That, and somehow the ending of the movie feels vaguely tacked on and horribly awkward, despite Craig and Claire Forlani's best efforts.

That said, the bittersweet atmosphere and beautiful English backdrop of the flashbacks is nicely done, and serve as a sharp contrast to the sleek, debauched feel of Joe's Hollywood life (where twittering starlets flit in and out of his bedroom with nary a second glance). Baillie Walsh does a solid enough job through the first 90% of the movie, despite an unravelled ending.

And seeing his youth's halcyon days deteriorate around him gives the entire movie a feeling of painful frailty, as if Joe might crumble with a gust of wind. Everybody makes mistakes, but you can see how such a horrible event in his formative years -- and the guilty associated with an already-guilty act -- could ruin him. And in turn, he corrupted the innocence of everyone around him. Nasty.

Overall Daniel Craig does an excellent job with Joe, using minimalist acting and painfully transparent eyes to good effect -- although he seems a bit uncomfortable with the more sentimental moments. Claire Forlani does what she can with the rather ill-drawn Ruth, Eve has a good small role, and the incredibly underrated Jodhi May is brilliant as the Mrs. Robinson next door.

"Flashbacks of a Fool" is what it sounds like -- a man haunted by his youthful mistakes, and how he takes steps to deal with them. Imperfect, but the actors make it worth watching.
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