Status: In Competition What initially looked to be something of an oddity when first announced- a strange love-song to
Eric Cantona from one of the pre-eminent British directors in the business- has to go down one as one of the best films to come out of our country in the past few years. With
Ken Loach at the helm the pattern is set well before the opening credits roll: his particular brand of gritty but ultimately uplifting narrative is an enduring and defining part of his portfolio of work, peppered with the expected pathos and delicate caricatures which made
My Name Is Joe,
Carla's Song and
Sweet Sixteen such remarkable films. Here he turns his hand to the story of Eric Bishop, a divorced postman wallowing in depression, who turns to his an unlikely source for the inspiration he needs to return to life- his idol Eric Cantona (in spliff-smoking, philosophy spouting top form). Although the success of the film was never really in doubt- this is
Ken Loach after all- one element in particular was always going to raise eyebrows and question marks: remember that this film is essentially as much Eric Cantona's project as it is his director's- he initiated (and produced) the project, approaching film-makers with the idea of a relationship between a footballer and a fan- and the doubt was always going to be attached to his inclusion. The concept of fantasy in the film- Cantona is essentially an imaginary friend/life coach- looked as if it could potentially derail the success of the narrative, being such a left-field prospect- it shouldnt work, but happily it does. For while
Looking For Eric inevitably has a far more surreal and comic feel in parts than say
The Wind That Shakes The Barley, it never descends too far into farce or superfluous fantasy, remaining faithful to Loach's tender and immaculately conceived sense of realism. What really makes the film shine is the effortless rapport that marks so many of the masculine relationships in the film- most notably between Eric Bishop (the excellent
Steve Evets) and his version of Eric Cantona, something that the actors create perfectly (even when Cantona's still-heavy accent make it difficult to tell what he's actually saying). There is also a shared rapport and affection within Eric's posse of friends who ultimately become an important part of the hilarious set-piece finale. This motley crew- as well as Bishop's family feature some very recognisable faces from the British comedy scene-
Shameless' Gerard Kearns, Phoenix Nights'Justin Moorhouse, and
Early Doors'John Henshaw who offer the perfect antidote to some of the bleaker elements of the film and represent the realistic heart of the project. Aside from the more politicised objectives of the film- there is an obvious thiny-veiled attack on the corporate-fuelled evolution of football thanks to the sequence dedicated to the FC United/Man Utd debate, as well as comments on the erosion of decent communities at the hands of petty thugs and plastic gangsters- it is in presentation of the film's major relationships and the acute observations of Eric's condition that form the most important aspects of the narrative. Indeed the best parts of the film are when the two concepts come together in his scenes of reconciliation with ex-wife Lily (another strong female Loach performance, this time by
Stephanie Bishop), which the script and direction have imbued with an appropriate spirit of sensitivity (and happily a restrained sentimentalism). And thank God for the power of these relationships, because the secondary narrative involving Eric's son's involvement with gangsters and guns feels like the weakest element and an obvious attempt to work in an entertaining finale, and are a little difficult to reconcile with the rest of the film- threatening to detract from the perfectly observed intimate moments. But I can forgive the obviousness because the execution of that finale is excellent and hugely endearing, handing out an iressistible justice to the villain of the piece, the psychopathic Zac (actor
Steve Marsh is best known as one half of children's TV programme
Big Cook Little Cook of all things) who plays sufficiently foolish when his retribution is handed out. Typically of a
Ken Loach production, the script is fantastic; at turns funny and delightfully ludicrous (especially the odd-ball philosophy that Cantona perpetually offers as advice), but never moving too far from the realism of human relationships that mark so many of the collaborations between Loach and his stalwart script-writer
Paul Laverty. Together they ensure that Cantona's vision is realised, while making sure that the urban fairytale aspect and the clips of King Eric's footballing prowess do not dillute the sensitivity that makes the film so enjoyable. It is testament to the script's strength and a fantasticly drole performance full of gentle self-mockery by the former footballer that the sequences between the two Erics dont descend into sycophancy (which I feared initially would happen considering the precedent set by
Maradona By Kusturica and
Zidane: A 21st CenturyPortrait): they are more about Eric Bishop's rejuvenation than Eric Cantona's wonderful abilities on the pitch. Most importantly, it is patently obvious that the Cantona of the film is a figment of Bishop's imagination- hence the adherence to the stereotype of Cantona the Philosopher- and is merely the mechanism that Bishop employs to get out of his unfortunate personal trough. The make-or-break moment of realisation for Eric comes when he asks his idol what was his best moment and Cantona replies that it was a pass- a selfless act- which inspires Eric to recognise the value of friendship and community and claw his way back from the brink. It is also pleasant to see the familiar Loachian adherence to provincial identities that made so many of his films so obviously British- though the Manc inflections on show might make it more difficult for foreign audiences to follow all of the dialogue- however the film has less of a limited feel than it could well be accused of: it is a universal morality tale, focusing upon the other Loachian motif that existing together, rather than remaining alone to struggle is the key to a happy existence. Loach and Cantona have created something here as beautiful as a Cruyff turn, but with the more universal appeal of a sensitive, touching and sometimes hilarious look at one man's struggle for happiness that examines the value of relationships. An excellent advertisement for the British Film Industry, admittedly with an irrepressibly French flavouring.