A film about one man, Joe Scot, whose pitiful life of self-indulgence makes him look back to a time in his teenage years, where the root of his problems began.
Starring Daniel Craig and Harry Eden as old and young Joe Scot respectively, Flashbacks of a Fool is a nostalgic drama that attempts to intertwine the shallowness of modern day LA, with the humble cosiness of 70s Britain…with poor results. Older Joe is a washed up actor, living out his years addicted to drugs and meaningless sexual encounters, with nothing stable in his life. When he hears the news that one of his friends from childhood has died, it sends him into despair.
Travelling back to a coastal town in the 70s, we see Joe enter the formative years of his life, through his early teens and first sexual encounters. One act of promiscuity however leads to a tragic event, and his subsequent downfall.
Dreary and indulgent, Flashbacks of a Fool is a lukewarm drama that fails to capture the conflict in this story. Joe is a poor central figure, offering little in the way of substance for the audience, and his development through the film is unfulfilling and inconsequential. Craig does an amiable job, but fails to engage for the most part. Claire Forlani gives the most impressive performance, but her few minutes on the screen are not enough to save the movie.
Eden is a poor choice for young Joe, failing to deal with the heavy themes and limited script, which makes some scenes fall flat on their face.
Around Joe, though, there is some very interesting characters which deserved more attention. Such as the mum who seeks sexual attention from Joe, and has her child die by standing on a landmine.
Aside from some picturesque cinematography, FOAF is a poorly made, indulgent film without any real bite.
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