Looking for Eric

"No prior knowledge of either English soccer or one of its greatest stars of the '90s, French-born Eric Cantona, is necessary to go "Looking for Eric." But helmer Ken Loach and writer Paul Laverty's ninth feature together is a curious hybrid: Three movies -- boilerplate, socially aware Loach; personal fantasy; romantic comedy -- wrap around a central core of a hopeless soccer fanatic who's given a second chance to sort out his life. As in many of Laverty's scripts, problems of overall tone and character development aren't solved by Loach's easygoing direction, though when it works, "Eric" has many incidental pleasures."

"But even when things get really serious, Loach retains a firm grip on the tone of film, which is as close to the tone of real life as a film can get; it's funny one minute, deadly serious the next. The story of Eric's redemption and the changes that the combination of the two Erics trigger, is both satisfying and beautifully crafted. Looking for Eric is a worthwhile quest, and finding him is painful but ultimately joyous."

"With less of the grit but still plenty of the earthy humour Loach is renowned for, this walks the indie/ commercial line with assurance."

"Great jokes and fine comic performances in a real crowd-pleaser from Ken Loach."

"Play It Again, Eric... Ken Loach perfectly captures the feeling of football and the need for hope. Touching and hilarious — a blinder."