Synopsis
Flashback is a science fiction thriller that was first released in 2021 as The Education of Fredrick Fitzell and which has since gained popularity as Flashback. Dylan O’Brien plays the lead role that confronts the themes of time, memory, identity and the abstract effects of one’s actions. The film is an elaborate Puzzle Plot that fuses reality with visions and dreams, blurring the distinction between waking life, reality, hallucination, and altered mental states.
Fredrick Fitzell is the protagonist of the story. At the beginning of the film, Fredrick is a young man of numerous beginnings. He is trying to make some changes in his lifestyle such as starting a new job in the corporate space, moving in with his girlfriend, and having some somber dinner visits with his mother, who has dementia. In Fredrick’s appearance, everything is under control. Only he knows that he is deeply confused and anxious and he starts having vivid memories with snippets of nostalgia fueled by a random meeting.
This new masterpiece begins with Fred’s otherwise normal life breaking down when he starts having high school flashbacks along with hallucinations. He recalls a group of friends that he had lost contact with, including the enigmatic Cindy Williams, a girl who disappeared of the grid a long time ago. These memories are becoming more vivid, and the past is beginning to take a significant toll on Fred.
While navigating through these memories, Fred can reconnect with some old buddies like Andre and Sebastian. Memories intermingle with potent spells of a strange hallucinogenic known as Merc (short for Mercury). In high school, Fred, Andre, and Sebastian had experimented with Merc, a drug claimed to unleash the brain’s dormant abilities; giving them the ability to perceive time in a fluid manner. After going through the drug again and following the leads of Cindy’s disappearance, Fred’s perception of reality starts to distort.
The film starts to move from a psychological drama to a full on sci fi thriller. Fred’s revelation that time may not be a straight line but rather an endless web of branching paths and possibilities shifts dramatically. Buffeted by Merc’s influence, he simultaneously exists across multiple timelines. Some versions have him as a corporate drone while others see him as a wanderer with Cindy or even a psychotic homeless man screaming at the void. Fred discovers every decision makes a new version of himself with new timelines splitting from each choice.
In the multidimensional reality, he needs to decide what kind of life he wants whether to succumb to the bland life of a corporation he is\was heading towards or break towards an uncertain yet authentic life. His choice essentially hinges on accepting his unresolved feelings for Cindy, his unemployable symbol of youthful idealism and unfulfilled potential. In one storyline, he manages to locate her in this abandoned building where they used to hang out but in his version, she has somehow chosen to permanently reside in a state of infinite time captured by Merc.
The climax of Flashback is not a showdown in the classic Hollywood fashion but instead, it is more on the lines of a philosophical epiphany. Fred comes to terms with the fact that he can bend or reimagine the constructs of time, memory and identity. The film’s ending is left open to interpretation; whether Fred has indeed escaped the deterministic clutches of adulthood or if he simply succumbs to yet another illusion of freedom.
Cast & Crew
Main Cast:
Dylan O’Brien as Fredrick Fitzell: Dylan O’Brien’s performance is commemorably rich and multifaceted. He shifts from showing vulnerability to confusion and then determination as his character goes through a mental breakdown/ self-imposed scaffolding. O’Brien strikingly depicts a man struggling under the metaphysical burden of existence, crafting a character who is, in equal parts, relatable and somehow abstract.
Maika Monroe as Cindy Williams: Monroe plays the philosophically inclined and enigmatic Cindy which she carries out with stunning beauty. Descended from Fred’s deepest, ideas unfulfilled – she is the life not lived, the alternative he never explored. With few guises in the film, she is both haunting and captivating and sustains much of the film’s emotional and existential weight.
Emory Cohen as Sebastian and Keir Gilchrist as Andre: Both actors depict Fred’s high school friends who later reconnect with him during the time travel. They provide important perspective on the experience of Merc and why it impacted them differently.
Hannah Gross as Karen (Fred’s girlfriend): As Fred’s girlfriend, she symbolizes the calm and traditional path that he is expected to follow. Her personality is so stable in the face of Fred’s turbulent world that it is completely at odds with his chaos.
Director and Writer:
Christopher MacBride: Flashback is the director’s latest project. Known for his earlier film The Conspiracy (2012), MacBride comes back with another narrative that plays with perception and reality. In Flashback, his script is equally ambitious as it is cryptic, filled with philosophical concepts about time and memory. MacBride’s direction is purposefully bewildering with fragmented and nonlinear edits alongside surreal imagery meant to immerse the audience into Fred’s disintegrating mind.
Cinematography:
The visual style of Flashback is uniquely intrinsic to the narrative as much as the plot itself. The stunning imagery crafted by Brendan Steacy employs lighting and camera movement to distort time and perception. The combination of vibrant colors alongside erratic handheld shots epitomize a drug-fueled state of unreality, while rapid edits, overlapping timelines, and surreal montages create a disjointed viewing experience.
Soundtrack:
The score of the movie is done by Pilotpriest (Anthony Scott Burns) and adds an electronic and ambient dimension to the film. The music often swells and distorts, perfectly matching the film’s themes of disorientation, nostalgia, and existential dread.
Flashback holds a score of 5.4/10 on IMDb, suggesting rating reception is mixed. While this number could suggest a lukewarm reception, it is essential to consider the nature of the film’s reception is rather divisive. In general, audiences seem to be divided into two groups: those who are in awe of the movie’s philosophical intricacies and experimental storyline, and those who think it is rather convoluted and difficult to digest.
Critics have lauded the film for its ambitiousness and the thought provoking subject matter, owing its comparison to other works of intellectual sci-fi like Donnie Darko, Memento, and Enter the Void. However, other critics noted the non-linear structure and frequent timeline shifts as confusing, or needlessly opaque. Some reviewers argued the abstract nature of the film shocked the emotional connection that some viewers intended to engage with the movie, while other viewers saw it as an open invitation to rewatch and interpret the film multiple times.
Dylan O’Brien’s portrayal casted a blanket on the film’s scattered story which received acclaim for confusion he takes on in the storyline. His performance of an emotionally vulnerable and confused state added warmth to the otherwise abstract and emotionally dialed down narrative.
Conclusion
Flashback is an ambitious science fiction thriller that illuminates time, memory, and identity through a non-linear lens. The film attempts to challenge viewers with complex ideas and surreal visuals instead of conventional storytelling.
Unlike many films, Flashback does not reward immediate gratification. Its plot leaves many things to imagination and questions, thus encouraging contemplation and discussion. While it may not appeal to all viewers, those who enjoy thoughtful cinema will find this philosophical piece haunting and engaging.
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