Looking for Eric (2009)

Eric, a football fanatic postman whose life is descending into crisis, receives some life coaching from the famously philosophical Eric Cantona.

Director:

Ken Loach

Writer:

Paul Laverty (screenplay)

Stars:

Steve Evets, Eric Cantona, Stephanie Bishop

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Evets	...	Eric Bishop
Eric Cantona	...	Himself
Stephanie Bishop	...	Lily
Gerard Kearns	...	Ryan
Stefan Gumbs	...	Jess
Lucy-Jo Hudson	...	Sam
Cole Williams	...	Daisy
Dylan Williams	...	Daisy
Matthew McNulty	...	Young Eric
Laura Ainsworth	...	Young Lily
Maxton G. Beesley	...	Eric's Father (as Maxton Beesley)
Kelly Bowland	...	Ryan's Girlfriend
Julie Brown	...	Nurse
John Henshaw	...	Meatballs
Justin Moorhouse	...	Spleen

Storyline

Eric Bishop, a middle-aged postman working for the Manchester sorting office, is going through a dreadful crisis. For starters, his second life companion has not resurfaced although she was released from prison a few months ago. He is left alone with two stepsons to look after, which is no bed of roses since the two teens disrespect him and keep disobeying him. To make matters worse, Ryan, the older boy, fascinated by Zac, a dangerous gangster, has accepted to hide his gun in Eric's house. On the other hand, he is asked by Sam, his student daughter who has a newborn baby,to get back in touch with Lily, his separated wife. Now, Eric left her not long after she gave back to their daughter. As a result Eric panics... Having lost all his bearings, Eric Bishop soliloquizes face to the poster of his idol, another Eric, French footballer Eric Cantona, when the latter appears just like the genie out of Aladdin's lamp. Through a series of aphorisms peculiar to him, the footballer-philosopher ...

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Plot Keywords:

postman | gun | manchester | poster | gangster | 

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Taglines:

To win back the love of his life, Eric's going to need a little training.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Sport

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Details

Official Sites:

Diaphana [fr] Icon Film Distribution [uk]

Country:

UK France Italy Belgium Spain

Language:

English French

Release Date:

27 May 2009 (France)

Also Known As:

Barátom, Eric

Filming Locations:

Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$6,743 (USA) (14 May 2010)

Gross:

$55,804 (USA) (25 June 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sixteen Films, Film Four, Canto Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Spleen asked who's scored after he left the bar, the television on the bar showed Paul Scholes who scored the only goal in that game. It was a real game between Manchester United and Barcelona, the second leg of the champion's league semi final in 2008. Scholes's goal was the only one of either leg and sent United through to the final, where they defeated Chelsea 6-5 on penalties to win the competition.

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Goofs

On the bus going to the raid, the clock reports 12:12. Then, the camera goes on the passengers. When back on the bus clock, it reports 12:38.

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Quotes

Eric: The noblest revenge is to forgive.

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Crazy Credits

Cantona is credited as "Lui-même" (himself).

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Connections

Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Kick-Ass/Death at a Funeral/The Joneses (2010)

User Reviews

A flawed masterpiece....just like Cantona himself.

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.