À Procura de Eric

I went to see this film as a colleague said it was good. I pretty much had no other idea what it was when I entered the theater.

The story is well narrated, put together in the "show not tell" method. You figure it out as you go along.

I found it fascinating on many levels. The character that Cantona plays adds depth and sparkle to the beginning of the story, when it all seems so lack luster. Seeing all the different stories coming together and seeing Eric pull himself together makes for a phenomenal story. At no point was I bored or did I lose interest in the movie.

It was only afterward that I found out who Cantona is and that he was even played by himself. The film completely worked even without knowing this beforehand.

Enjoyable, heartwarming and fascinating - I'll definitely be recommending this to friends.

Man Utd fans will obviously love this and I'm not a Utd fan. However i have to say this is the most entertaining film of Ken Loach's since Bread & Roses nearly a decade ago. It has a good story and is realistically acted by a cast of unknowns and semi-familiar faces. For a film about a legendary and iconic footballer it doesn't ram football down the throats of the non-fans. What the film does do is bring up just how important football is for many people, the way it can unite and connect them in a way that has otherwise disappeared in Britain.

I won't give any of the story away but this film drags you down to a point where you wonder how the protagonist will get out of a very dire dilemma. Yet the ending is so well written you are guaranteed to come out of the cinema smiling at the way just desserts are dished out. The film is brutal in places and the language strong yet the excellent acting keeps it watchable and Monsieur Cantona himself seems very comfortable in front of a film camera (although sometimes his accent makes his dialog a little hard to understand). Cantona plays with his image wonderfully, being both self important and yet always likable and sometimes quite happy to deflate his own ego, being respectful about how lucky he was to have had such a memorable and legendary career without ever being truly arrogant (a fact a certain Mr C Ronaldo could do well to absorb) and acknowledging the role of the fans in his career. Lets put it another way, King Eric will always be remembered and respected in this country by all supporters for his great ability and the respect he had for the game and his club. Ronaldo will just be remembered as a talented but greedy young man who left probably the biggest club in the world for a larger pay packet.

Its difficult for me to say any more without giving away the plot but lets just say this is a film about never giving up hope when all seems lost because sometimes help will come from the most unexpected sources.

In 'Looking for Eric' Loach takes a look at the complicated life of a down on his luck unhappy postman, Eric Bishop. He desperately struggles to cope with his dysfunctional home, ignorant kids and a sad breakup but all seems hopeless until he finds a way in the form of former football player Eric Cantona. Loach does a wonderful job by infusing humour, philosophy and football into the story.

The presentation itself is very raw and suitably toned down. The sets and setting look authentic. The actors look like the common people one would see in bars. The intense scenes are very effective as the stark portrayal of Eric's struggle and despair is raw to the core. The humour comes as a welcome comic relief as it balances well. I really enjoyed the sequences with the two Erics. This is where Eric Bishop finds solace, peace and answers and his friendship with his imaginary friend is easy to relate to.

Another theme that Loach beautifully presents in 'Looking for Eric' is the importance and love for football. Why fans excitedly watch a match and cheer or yell at the team they support, what football means to them, and the significant effect it has on the lives of fans are all wonderfully explored here.

Steve Evets is great as Eric Bishop. His nuanced portrayal stands out beautifully. Eric Cantona perhaps delivers one of the most sincere performances I have ever seen from a sports player turned actor. Even though some may argue that he's just playing himself, I'd say that he's playing Eric Cantona from Eric Bishop's point of view, not his own. I also liked how Stephanie Bishop downplays Lily. The rest of the actors do a brilliant job.

Ken Loach's little film is a winner all the way.

I think that Ken Loach has produced another winner here – it is a story of a Eric Bishop (Steve Evets), a postman going though some hard times and not being able to cope with life in general – with a painful break-up behind him, a dysfunctional home life, step kids that ignore him, he decides to escape from it all by driving the wrong way around a round-about … this prompts his friends to rally around to help him – suggesting self help techniques (very comical!) and adopting role models … and Eric B. adopts his main influence as Eric Cantona – who in his mind's eye becomes our Eric's life coach and mentor

Eric's friends and work colleagues from the Post Office are hilarious and whenever they are on screen it is very funny – especially the character "Meatballs" – played with great aplomb by John Henshaw. Other very good performances were portrayed by Stephanie Bishop (as Lily) and of course by Eric Cantona playing himself …

At times this film is sad, and at others truly funny – but you do take to the characters and ride along the emotional roller-coaster – because you actually start caring about the characters and what is happening to them

Just when it seemed all was lost for Eric B. and his family – there is then a superb twist in the plot (I won't give it away here) – and you won't see it coming! – that leads to a very fitting, uplifting finale to a very well told / acted / directed story I am not a Man Utd. Fan, but this film still has a lot to recommend it – and I must say, that Eric Cantona grows on you more and more as the movie goes along

This film's message is not really about football – it's more about the value of friends and people you can rely on when all seems lost … and as Cantona states "Trust your teammates – always – or your are nothing!"

I found "Looking for Eric" to be a very enjoyable film - recommended!

The concept of a downtrodden man getting his life back on track has been done many times before, but Ken Loach has managed to put a unique spin on it, as well as imbuing it with a lot of pathos.

Having Eric Cantona in a main role puts this film in a unique position, as there aren't many players like him who are so embedded into the psyche of a city. He in a way represents Manchester, which makes sense for Eric Bishop to visualise him specifically to help him out. Cantona's own story of struggle and then redemption makes him especially suited to helping out someone who is having a tough time in their life, which is why this story works so well.

Cantona himself has a decent screen presence, but Steve Evets puts in a powerhouse performance which really makes the film worth watching. He can really explode with fury, but his quieter scenes of disappointment, anguish and hope are also brilliant.

Loach does well to manage the magical realism side of the story along with his usual kitchen-sink drama, and any conversation is exceptionally interesting because of that. Paul Laverty should also get a lot of credit for his screenwriting work here.

This is something I would definitely recommend.