438:
graveyard to meet Ruth. She tells him how much she loved Boots and what a wonderful person he was but she cannot cry, even though it is the saddest moment of her life. Joe also spots graves belonging to Jane and Evelyn. Jesse tells him that Evelyn's marriage broke down after Jane died and she married a man who beat her. Evelyn later found the courage to leave but was killed in a car accident. Joe goes back to the house he purchased for his family when his career was going well. He listens to the same music he and Ruth listened to on the night they first met and decides to write her a cheque to clear the debt. He encloses with the cheque a letter, containing the lyrics to
404:
friend Boots has died unexpectedly. Shaken by the news, he attends a disastrous meeting with an up-and-coming director and his agent. Joe learns he will not get the part he had hoped would restore his career and publicly berates his agent who responds by telling Joe he is washed up before quitting. Upset, Joe walks to the beach and swims out to sea contemplating suicide. Floating in the waves, he thinks back to the final summer holiday he spent with Boots.
408:
start an affair. He later goes to her house, where she kisses him again and removes his trousers before her unsuspecting husband returns home. The next day, Joe bumps into a popular but quirky girl his own age from town, Ruth. She invites him back to her parents' house and he accepts, leaving Boots alone and angry. Joe is impressed by Ruth's affluent home and her parent's record collection. Ruth applies makeup to Joe's face, making him resemble
22:
429:
from Evelyn on Joe's neck and storms off. Joe tries denying his affair with Evelyn but ends up fighting with Boots who punches him. The next day, Evelyn apologizes for making him late but admits she enjoyed their lovemaking and asks if he wants to repeat it. She forces her daughter Jane out to play
407:
The story flashes back to a teenage Joe and Boots. Joe lives with his mother, aunt and younger sister Jesse in a small town on the
English coast. Boots has epilepsy and has recently had an attack in the cinema. Joe's next-door neighbour, young and bored housewife Evelyn kisses him in an attempt to
403:
whose once successful
Hollywood career is flagging and spends most of his time drinking, doing drugs, and having one-night stands. The only person he has in his life is his personal assistant Ophelia who is growing tired of his antics. He receives a call from his mother to say his childhood best
437:
Back in the present, Joe wakes up as he is washed ashore. He returns to
England to attend Boots' funeral but he is too late. His mother and Aunt tell him that Boots married Ruth and that he died of an aneurysm, leaving behind four young children and a lot of debt. Jesse takes Joe to the church
133:
442:
When Jesse gives it to her, Ruth initially refuses but finds the lyrics and breaks down crying. Brought down to earth by Boot's death and Ruth's grief, Joe returns to Los
Angeles where he is met by Ophelia and hopes to start his career afresh.
425:
The following day, Evelyn convinces Joe to come into her home on the way to his date and they have sex. Joe arrives late to meet Ruth, who has been kept company by Boots. Ruth sees
892:
351:
actor who, following the death of his childhood best friend, reflects upon his life and what might have been, had he stayed in
England. The film was directed by
434:
and climbs on it, causing it to detonate and kill her instantly. Joe blames himself, runs away on the day of Jane's funeral, and doesn't return.
882:
877:
39:
272:
105:
86:
592:
222:
58:
43:
65:
887:
867:
872:
72:
240:
678:
862:
348:
54:
626:
609:
32:
726:
651:
597:
414:
656:
857:
79:
825:
706:
809:
751:
842:
831:
774:
622:
519:
196:
629:
of 4.54/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Despite Daniel Craig's earnest efforts,
507:
200:
836:
769:
779:
603:
580:
471:
465:
368:
364:
204:
430:
so they can have the house to themselves. While they have sex, Jane finds a washed-up
851:
576:
501:
495:
388:
384:
352:
188:
146:
132:
711:
584:
564:
543:
483:
453:
376:
356:
212:
180:
172:
531:
525:
513:
409:
400:
192:
21:
477:
459:
419:
372:
360:
344:
208:
176:
560:
489:
426:
380:
184:
579:'s first feature film. Walsh had directed music videos for, among others,
820:
814:
431:
803:
568:
268:
683:
588:
15:
625:
reports a 38% approval rating based on 21 reviews, with an
633:
suffers from an ambitious but underdeveloped script".
328:
320:
312:
302:
279:
264:
246:
236:
228:
218:
168:
160:
152:
142:
125:
46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
591:. The cinematography for the film was done by
8:
893:Films scored by Richard Hartley (composer)
131:
122:
756:Internet Encyclopedia of Cinematographers
106:Learn how and when to remove this message
642:
399:Joe Scot is a British actor living in
650:Halligan, Fionnuala (14 April 2008).
7:
422:before Ruth asks him out on a date.
44:adding citations to reliable sources
273:Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
14:
705:French, Philip (20 April 2008).
549:Mia Clifford as Young Jesse Scot
20:
537:Max Deacon as Young Boots McKay
31:needs additional citations for
1:
770:"Flashbacks of a Fool (2008)"
679:"Flashbacks of a Fool (2008)"
595:, who shot for films such as
540:Jodie Tomlinson as Jane Adams
883:2000s English-language films
878:2008 directorial debut films
559:The film was mainly shot in
909:
137:Theatrical release poster
130:
288:13 April 2008
707:"Flashbacks of a Fool"
652:"Flashbacks of a Fool"
440:If There is Something.
55:"Flashbacks of a Fool"
415:If There Is Something
838:Flashbacks of a Fool
827:Flashbacks of a Fool
816:Flashbacks of a Fool
805:Flashbacks of a Fool
657:Screen International
631:Flashbacks of a Fool
573:Flashbacks of a Fool
340:Flashbacks of a Fool
126:Flashbacks of a Fool
40:improve this article
888:2000s British films
868:British drama films
486:as Ophelia Franklin
257:Ugly Duckling Films
873:Films about actors
621:Review aggregator
343:is a 2008 British
731:blackdogfilms.com
727:"INXS - Taste It"
610:Kingdom of Heaven
462:as young Joe Scot
456:as adult Joe Scot
336:
335:
120:2008 British film
116:
115:
108:
90:
900:
863:2008 drama films
791:
790:
788:
786:
766:
760:
759:
752:"John Mathieson"
748:
742:
741:
739:
737:
723:
717:
716:
702:
696:
695:
693:
691:
675:
669:
668:
666:
664:
647:
516:as Mannie Miesel
504:as Peggy Tickell
412:. They dance to
295:
293:
259:Visitor Pictures
135:
123:
111:
104:
100:
97:
91:
89:
48:
24:
16:
908:
907:
903:
902:
901:
899:
898:
897:
848:
847:
843:Rotten Tomatoes
832:Box Office Mojo
800:
795:
794:
784:
782:
775:Rotten Tomatoes
768:
767:
763:
750:
749:
745:
735:
733:
725:
724:
720:
704:
703:
699:
689:
687:
677:
676:
672:
662:
660:
649:
648:
644:
639:
623:Rotten Tomatoes
619:
557:
552:
520:Olivia Williams
492:as Evelyn Adams
449:
397:
305:
298:
291:
289:
282:
260:
258:
256:
255:Left Turn Films
251:
249:
241:Richard Hartley
211:
207:
203:
199:
197:Olivia Williams
195:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
138:
121:
112:
101:
95:
92:
49:
47:
37:
25:
12:
11:
5:
906:
904:
896:
895:
890:
885:
880:
875:
870:
865:
860:
850:
849:
846:
845:
834:
823:
812:
799:
798:External links
796:
793:
792:
761:
743:
718:
697:
670:
641:
640:
638:
635:
627:average rating
618:
615:
604:Matchstick Men
593:John Mathieson
581:Massive Attack
556:
553:
551:
550:
547:
541:
538:
535:
529:
523:
517:
511:
505:
499:
498:as Mrs. Rogers
493:
487:
481:
480:as Sister Jean
475:
472:Felicity Jones
469:
466:Claire Forlani
463:
457:
450:
448:
445:
396:
393:
369:Felicity Jones
365:Claire Forlani
334:
333:
330:
326:
325:
322:
318:
317:
316:United Kingdom
314:
310:
309:
306:
303:
300:
299:
297:
296:
285:
283:
280:
277:
276:
266:
265:Distributed by
262:
261:
254:
252:
247:
244:
243:
238:
234:
233:
230:
226:
225:
223:John Mathieson
220:
219:Cinematography
216:
215:
205:Claire Forlani
170:
166:
165:
162:
158:
157:
154:
150:
149:
144:
140:
139:
136:
128:
127:
119:
114:
113:
28:
26:
19:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
905:
894:
891:
889:
886:
884:
881:
879:
876:
874:
871:
869:
866:
864:
861:
859:
856:
855:
853:
844:
840:
839:
835:
833:
829:
828:
824:
822:
818:
817:
813:
811:
807:
806:
802:
801:
797:
781:
777:
776:
771:
765:
762:
757:
753:
747:
744:
732:
728:
722:
719:
714:
713:
708:
701:
698:
686:
685:
680:
674:
671:
659:
658:
653:
646:
643:
636:
634:
632:
628:
624:
616:
614:
612:
611:
606:
605:
600:
599:
594:
590:
586:
582:
578:
577:Baillie Walsh
575:was director
574:
570:
566:
562:
554:
548:
546:as Jesse Scot
545:
542:
539:
536:
533:
530:
528:as Carrie Ann
527:
524:
522:as Grace Scot
521:
518:
515:
512:
510:as Jack Adams
509:
506:
503:
502:Helen McCrory
500:
497:
496:Miriam Karlin
494:
491:
488:
485:
482:
479:
476:
474:as young Ruth
473:
470:
468:as adult Ruth
467:
464:
461:
458:
455:
452:
451:
446:
444:
441:
435:
433:
428:
423:
421:
417:
416:
411:
405:
402:
394:
392:
390:
389:Miriam Karlin
386:
385:Helen McCrory
382:
378:
374:
370:
366:
362:
358:
354:
353:Baillie Walsh
350:
346:
342:
341:
331:
327:
323:
319:
315:
311:
307:
301:
287:
286:
284:
278:
274:
270:
269:Miramax Films
267:
263:
253:
245:
242:
239:
235:
231:
227:
224:
221:
217:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
189:Helen McCrory
186:
182:
178:
174:
171:
167:
164:Lene Bausager
163:
159:
156:Baillie Walsh
155:
151:
148:
147:Baillie Walsh
145:
141:
134:
129:
124:
118:
110:
107:
99:
88:
85:
81:
78:
74:
71:
67:
64:
60:
57: –
56:
52:
51:Find sources:
45:
41:
35:
34:
29:This article
27:
23:
18:
17:
837:
826:
815:
804:
783:. Retrieved
773:
764:
755:
746:
734:. Retrieved
730:
721:
712:The Guardian
710:
700:
688:. Retrieved
682:
673:
661:. Retrieved
655:
645:
630:
620:
608:
602:
596:
572:
565:South Africa
558:
544:Keeley Hawes
508:James D'Arcy
454:Daniel Craig
439:
436:
424:
413:
406:
398:
357:Daniel Craig
355:, and stars
339:
338:
337:
304:Running time
281:Release date
213:Keeley Hawes
201:James D'Arcy
173:Daniel Craig
117:
102:
93:
83:
76:
69:
62:
50:
38:Please help
33:verification
30:
663:31 December
532:Gina Athans
526:Julie Ordon
514:Mark Strong
410:Bryan Ferry
401:Los Angeles
332:$ 1,107,542
308:114 minutes
232:Struan Clay
193:Mark Strong
161:Produced by
143:Directed by
858:2008 films
852:Categories
637:References
555:Production
478:Emilia Fox
460:Harry Eden
427:love bites
420:Roxy Music
373:Emilia Fox
361:Harry Eden
345:drama film
329:Box office
292:2008-04-13
248:Production
209:Emilia Fox
177:Harry Eden
153:Written by
66:newspapers
617:Reception
598:Gladiator
561:Cape Town
490:Jodhi May
381:Jodhi May
349:Hollywood
271:(through
250:companies
229:Edited by
185:Jodhi May
821:AllMovie
780:Fandango
736:28 March
690:30 March
534:as Apple
432:sea mine
347:about a
321:Language
237:Music by
169:Starring
96:May 2012
785:7 April
569:England
324:English
313:Country
290: (
80:scholar
567:, and
82:
75:
68:
61:
53:
585:Oasis
87:JSTOR
73:books
810:IMDb
787:2020
738:2019
692:2021
684:BBFC
665:2021
607:and
589:INXS
587:and
447:Cast
395:Plot
387:and
59:news
841:at
830:at
819:at
808:at
563:in
484:Eve
418:by
377:Eve
181:Eve
42:by
854::
778:.
772:.
754:.
729:.
709:.
681:.
654:.
613:.
601:,
583:,
571:.
391:.
383:,
379:,
375:,
371:,
367:,
363:,
359:,
789:.
758:.
740:.
715:.
694:.
667:.
294:)
275:)
109:)
103:(
98:)
94:(
84:·
77:·
70:·
63:·
36:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
