Flashbacks of a Fool (2008)

To me, this movie is perfection.

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Memorable, crazy movie

From my favorite movies..

Going back to my Music GCSE, I'd describe the structure of this film as having a simple ternary form - A-B-A' - standing aptly in this case for Adult-Boy-Adult'.The limitations of this 'song form' are plenty and frustrating for a viewer looking for a story - what happens between A and B, or more significantly, between B and A? Are we just looking here at a story of guilt? Are we supposed to draw a link between what happens in B as a way of explaining Joe's (CRAIG) behaviour in A? I'm not sure we're able to make such assumptions.So instead I could only take each of the film's three sections as self-standing, but that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy the film as a whole.Indeed, a film that resists a coherent narrative and prevents identification with its characters is perfectly suitable structurally for such themes of guilt and escape.That is what makes this film moving. Not for the on-screen emotion, but for what is left out, unseen and lost in the hyphens of the film's structure.

Watched this film after intending to see it at the cinema upon its release and it ended up being a huge disappointment. The film feels like two beginnings and one ending without any substance in the middle, owing mainly to the concept of a large flashback as the second act. The performances of the piece's stars are admirable considering that the script leaves them little to no subtext available. The heavy-handed, clunky dialogue is written as if nobody in the film's world is able to infer anything or understand the meaning of implication. Nevertheless, Craig plays his role well and is the only character afforded any development throughout the piece even despite the stunted nature of the pretentious, literal dialogue. His younger counterpart Harry Eden is not afforded this much and is arguably saddled with even worse lines, but is at least able to bring a decent amount of presence to the teenage Joe Scot.There is a story missing in this film. The tragic tale of Joe's affair with Evelyn and the failing of his relationship with Ruth because of this could have been somewhat cut down in favour of emphasising and building upon what happens to Joe in between his decision to run away from home on the day of the child's funeral and his decision to return for Boots's. Instead, what is left are unanswered questions and this makes the feel not feel properly finished. Sadly, this appears to have been an intention and as a result, the film never gets above average at best.

I stopped going to the cinema in the early 1990s, got fed up with being disappointed with over-hyped crap. Flashbacks of a Fool was in the background on BBC1 last night, got drawn into it (no adverts!).If, like me, you left teenage love behind in early 1970s UK then watch at your peril, this will turn you inside out. It's about what was, what is and what could have been; the film generates a sense of loss, perhaps redeemable, who knows? To reach out to someone after nearly 40 years cannot possibly work ... can it? If you didn't leave love behind in early 1970s UK then it's passable, nothing more.Daniel Craig cannot act, but in the context of this film it doesn't matter; the story, images, soundtrack and supporting cast just steamroller over such minor considerations.Now off to the attic to search for some vinyl.

i am not a big movie buff. i usually let them play for casual entertainment - really good movies are hard to come by. and i didn't really mean to get involved with this story... this one took me by surprise.i was a fish on the hook and didn't know it till the end. if you are as old as i, it takes you back - when you were young. and if you're lucky enough to see this when you're young, and understand it, you just might learn what dying really is.there is a less obvious contrast in this story. you might not get it. all i can say is, don't let this happen to you.(i score this a 10 also but made it a 9 on the advice of others to not come across as a pusher)