Looking For Eric

Is the best movie I've seen so far this year.  It's a Ken Loach film, & I've loved many of his films since I saw RiffRaff back in the early 90s.  I like Raining Stones, Ladybird, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, etc, ... a bunch of them.  Mick LaSalle's review talks a bit about how old & decrepit the actors look, about their awful English teeth.  Who cares? & besides, that's the way Ken Loach has been working his whole career.  Most of the time his best performers are the supporting cast, who are, more often than not, Northern (England) comedians.  Using "real" people in his movies is Loach's whole M.O.  & that's what troubles me about LaSalle's review.  It looks like LaSalle  is not familiar w/ Loach, who has made, say, (I'm guessing: two dozen films.)  & that's a shame because Loach is one of the best directors going & has been for a while.  


Anyhoo, LaSalle did like the film more than A.O. Scott did.  (You know, it really pisses me off that the NYT gave the front page movie review job to a movie auslander, which he was, instead of promoting Manohla Dargis, who is not only a better writer than Scott, but knows movies better & has better taste.  Ahem, IMO, ... )


ANYHOO, the "star" of the film is Eric Cantona, who also co-produced, lui-meme.  I was only v remotely familiar w/ Cantona before I saw the film.  I knew he was a star footballer for Man U back in the day, & that he was French.  But now that I've seen some goals & heard the witty Mancunian songs, & have seen the famous kung fu kick, & the resulting press conference, & seen the man, I have to tell you, that Cantona has most definitely entered the pantheon of Michael Spitler's heroes.  


I love that he was surly & enigmatic.  I love that he never got along w/ the French National Team, & that one time he called the French coach, "a bag of shit."  In fact, he still refuses to support the French National side & supports England instead! He is a v attractive Gaul, as well.  When Renee was watching she commented, "and he's French."  & his greatest hits (goals) for Man U are astonishing.  The English footie commentators loved to roll out the alliterations upon introducing him or marvelling  at his goals.  


LaSalle is right.  Cantona is a little stiff as an actor but he has an amazing presence on screen.  The movie is a neat little trick that Loach, the screenwriter, & Cantona have put together.  It's a modest jewel but still a jewel.


Despite it's modesty, the one thing Loach & the screenwriter have done that lifts the film from good to great status for me is keep the stakes high.  There are some dark, unsettling scenes & moments in this (legitimate) comedy.  But they are essential to the film as a whole, & to the fabulous, & hilarious ending.  


I'm going to revisit those older Loach films on NetFlix & I encourage everyone else to see Looking For Eric & his older films, too.