Review of Looking for Eric (2009) by Ketsia L — 26 Jun 2009

One of the pioneers of the British Social Realism phase in both cinema and television, transcends that old decadent past into a new era with new more daunting themes. Various hot topics which frequently emerge in the news such as adolescent gangs, dysfunctional families and the idolisation of people in the limelight: whether that's movie starts, pop stars or in this instance football all fluctuate through the narrative.

The film delves into the troublesome mind of Eric Bishop, whose family life and work becomes too great a burden on him. It takes the angelic yet equally flawed presence of his idol Eric Cantona to guide him through this dark period.

Loach's film has a lot of good heart, throwing the audience into domestic turbulence instances far more grave than his 70's TV masterpiece Cathy Come Home. However whilst the acting is of an impeccable order the characters remain fairly static in what is an unusually placid, stereotypical environment. I mean you see it all the time in modern television. Whilst Steve Evets gives a tour de force performance as the unfortunate soul, the rest of his cast remain caricatures, the only viable one of course being that of Eric Cantona. For instance his two children. One a young adolescent white male who likes football but falls into the wrong hands with the local gangster who refuses to listen to his father. Unfortunately he is the archetype depiction, you don't sympathise nor empathise with him as his situation become far more grave. Even in the films comedic moments it still doesn't delve in as much as it could, but instead reinforces the stereotype. His second son or step son a young black male, approximately emerging into his late teens. Again his character is disappointingly predictable as you'd expect into rap and has a lust for swaggering gangsters who carry guns whilst coated in bling. His character does show solace during the latter stages but the transition isn't believable considering his poor attitude in the first half of the film. This trend maintains throughout the film from his wise-cracking overweight work colleagues who as always enjoy the match and a piss up to his successful ex wife and his child who is trying to make amends after having a child so early in her own life. Conclusively there is too much conflict and not enough realism and naturalism.. We've seen it all before in the soaps and in TV dramas, when Cantona was off screen I swear I was watching Clocking Off. The relief emerges when Cantona is on the screen. Enjoyably mocking himself and showing the charisma from his early day football press conferences, he is the Clarence to Evet's George Bailey but far cooler. The films best moments undeniably emerge when the two are on screen. The witty punches back and forth, to the darn right serious, the rapport worked wonders. A downside is Cantona isn't on screen enough, as he departs from the wide you anxiously await his return to remind yourself that your watching a piece of cinema .

Loach doesn't adopt the lingering downbeat shots of the British New Wave, nor does he indicate the angst in his characters as we've seen prior with his intense use of close ups. Even the dysfunctional narrative structure as it strays from different periods doesn't appear authentic. No cinematic technique is adopted surprisingly by Loach whose had far more imaginable days. The decadent urban landscape which seems such a common feature to the urban milieu is never utilised to great effect. Even the house in which most of the drama unfolds, even feels stagy as we're constantly enduring the same props and imagery which again sit so static in the frame (Lager cans, Shoe Boxes etc.). The use of music is easily forgettable, never once complimenting the comedic moments nor the moments of despair, except for an enjoyable scene in which Eric and Eric combine for a dance to the sound of Elvis. Ultimately the film is poorly edited, everything seems pieced together rather easily and predictably. The images of Cantona's playing days are not a highlighting feature, we've seen them all before and Loach in no way adopts them imaginatively. Which is terribly disappointing from such an experienced director. Perhaps he wanted the plot to remain the object of focus, however as previously stated the plot isn't anything invigorating and there is no freshness about it.

Disappointing if still enjoyable and mildly powerful. But still as Loach enters into the familiar as well as the unknown the results are incoherent. Laden with clichés and the inability to balance elements of humour and conflict, its only perk is the relationship between its two leads. However unusually for Loach the problematic themes are easily resolved and culminates in a nice mushy, predictable ending.

(3/5).