Looking for Eric (2009)

"I am not a man, I am Cantona"


I first heard about Looking For Eric from a couple of die-hard Manchester United fans who were, as you would expect, rather excited about the prospect of a film dedicated to the United legend that is Eric Cantona. Still knowing little about the film I heard that the basic plot was that Cantona appears from a poster in a fellow die-hard United fan's room and helps him cope with the struggles in his life. Interesting.

As a football and a film fan I agreed to make a rare appearance at the cinema and go see it but before that time came I did a little research and it was then that I discovered that, the director of the 1970 British classic Kes (which also boasted a rather unique and unusual plot) Ken Loach, was at the helm of Looking for Eric. My interest in the film doubled.

The plot is pretty simple. Eric (played by former The Fall bassist Steve Evets) is a single middle aged dad who is truly depressed, often contemplates suicide and gets shown absolutely no respect or love from his two step-sons. His house is a mess, as his is appearance, and his job as a postman appears to be tedious and boring. His fellow work mates try to cheer him up by telling him jokes but his misery refuses to let up even slightly. His only source of comfort appears to be his giant Eric Cantona poster that in amongst a house that looks completely dreary really stood out thus helping to alleviate it's importance in Eric's life. One night after his workmate Meatballs (the fantastic John Henshaw) says, upon reading Paul McKenna's self-help book, that Eric and his friends should turn to their idols for enlightenment Eric Cantona, the famous number 7, appears in Eric's bedroom. This moment is the catalyst that instigates a huge improvement on Eric's life which allows for plenty of heartfelt moments along the way.

A potentially gimmicky idea is completely gimmick-free as Cantona becomes the ideal candidate to help Eric in dealing with the bad times in life and in instructing him to make the most of the positives in his life. The two embark on some rather unusual adventures, including spliff smoking, jogging, trumpet playing (well attempting to) which culminates in a completly bizarre moment in which hundred of rubber masked Cantona's descend on the film's 'villian'. There is even time to get the viewing Manchester United fan's juices really flowing as the two Eric's look back at Cantona's United career and we get to see a montage of his most famous goals and passes.

The film's most positive aspect is the sparkling chemistry that the two Eric's have as a newly formed friendship. It is one that is both touching and amusing as Cantona provides us with some excellent philosophical one liners. Evets is fantastic as Eric, in a quite demanding role for someone with little big screen experience. Cantona, who is equally great in his 'as himself' role, also forces through the second of the great relationships in the film as he suggests Eric doesn't avoid seeing his ex-wife, somebody he hasn't seen for over twenty years. He and Lily end up looking back at their time together and talking about where it all went wrong when initially they were only going to meet up out of necessity.


Many films are guilty of setting up completely unecessary relationships within them but the two here in Looking For Eric feel completely necessary for the story that unfolds. It seems that they really are the platform for Eric getting his life back on track once again and for that complete credit has to be given to Loach.

I have already mentioned the bizarre ending involving the rubbed masked Cantona's, however, it is in this scene where it feels like the fun, happy times of which Cantona is telling Eric to seek finally oust the misery and negative aspects of his life. It is here where the metaphor of Eric for the whole of man as a whole really comes to light as we see man striving to overcome the failings in their lives and replace them with, well, quite simply....fun.

All in all Looking For Eric is quite simply an unexpectedly refreshing film that Loach and Britain as a nation should be completely proud of. Yes, the film as a template does seem quite familiar but this simply doesn't matter as it's huge message and charming relationships completely outweigh any criticisms that could be aimed at it of which they are so, so few.

Rating: 8.5/10 - highly recommended