INTO THE MIND OF ERIC. OR ERIC(S). OR THE PROCESS OF LOOKING FOR ERIC

Life… Sometimes it’s tough. And when one of those times comes around we are often forced to sit back and reevaluate. Sometimes to pick up something new, get rid of the old, grow or change a little. This is not an “age” thing, it happens to us all no matter what our physical age, and this rather sweet film directed by Ken Loach gives a rather brilliant insight into the human psyche and the process of “growing up” and changing things…
Eric is a postman. He has had it rather tough. Two marriages later he has ended up looking after Ryan and Jess his two stepsons. His daughter from his first marriage is desperately trying to graduate from university –but Eric has to look after his granddaughter a few hours a day for that to happen. Not to mention ferrying said granddaughter between his first wife, Lilly, (who he still secretly loves and misses) and his daughter. His stepsons see him more as a convenience, respect is not exactly a by word in their relationship, so much so that the older son Ryan seems to be getting up to all kinds of no good nonsense without so much as a second thought for Eric, the actual owner of the house. Eric has reached that point in life where you look back and start wondering if you got some stuff wrong… Or right. He has grave doubts on that point, especially where Lilly his one true love (who he himself abandoned) is concerned. He seeks solace in Manchester United and his favorite football player, nay idol, Eric Cantona (who “pops in” to visit Eric from time to time. The two of them have lengthy chats and arguments much to the alarm of passersby and his stepsons). But there will come a time where even Monsieur Cantona’s council isn’t enough. Ryan is in a lot of trouble. And Eric has to really step his act up a notch if he’s to get his little family through this and get a second shot at love with Lilly…
I love films that portray real life so clearly. I’m not talking about films about real events like the Killing of John Lennon or The King’s Speech necessarily. No, I mean films that take real life situations, feeling and emotions and put them on the big screen. Like Away We Go for instance. Grand adventures and emotions, worlds of fantasy and mystery are all very well and good, but we mustn’t forget that real life itself is rarely like any of this, and yet contains a lot of adventure and mystery and emotions just the same… And they are all perfectly worthy of their own moment in the sun, if only because these are the moments our lives are actually made up of. This is a wonderful little gem about looking back and rethinking your life. It’s about those moments you simply know you have to up your game plan if you want to carry on. It’s about “growing up” in one sense, taking responsibility. It’s about finding yourself… And because we all have had or at least can imagine ourselves having such moments that it is so easy to sympathize with Eric. Oh and by the way, yes there is Eric Cantona in it and a bit of foot ball with Eric and the rest of the post office but don’t let that put you off, it’s part of the charm of the film… I mean, guys and their football, right? You couldn’t call the film realistic if they didn’t go together…