Looking For Eric (2009/IFC/MPI DVD)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C+     Extras: C+     Film: C+

 

 

I have not been the biggest Ken Loach fan, never finding the several feature films of his I have seen very impressive, despite having their good qualities.  Looking For Eric (2009) is his attempt to do a Field of Dreams-like film where the main character is visited by a sports legend to help him, in this case they have the same first name, so the one in trouble is also looking for himself.  There is Eric the postman (Steve Evets) who has to deal with a son involved with bad kids and Eric the Manchester United soccer (or football player in Euro-terms) who has constant advice for him.

 

Whether meant as a somewhat realistic spoof of some kind or denouncement of the other film’s sentimentality, the film starts with some potential, but never gets around to doing anything with it despite a good working cast and characters that are vulnerable.  It goes into other amusing territory, but Paul Laverty’s screenplay cannot find a way to be more realistic, or funny or move beyond the obvious, though I did find some moments amusing.  I doubt I missed any Britishisms either, but I expect some U.S. audiences to get lost in all this.  Still, this is one of Loach’s better showing by default.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image is surprisingly soft for a 35mm shoot, with bad Video Black, sad color limits and a transfer that further undermines the entire presentation and I doubt a Blu-ray would be better, which is shocking considering the Director of Photography Barry Ackroyd just lensed The Hurt Locker and Green Zone, both of which looked much better than this.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is a little better with a soundfield that sometimes kicks in fully, but this is otherwise a dialogue-based film.  Extras include a TV Spot, Trailer and Deleted Scenes that are not bad, but would not have made the film any better.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo