First, it is entertaining. The plot evolves around a Manchester United football fanatic, Eric Bishop, who is living with two youngsters from his former marriage, his stepsons. Eric is fragile and unhappy with his life so he wants to commit suicide, but he finds support in his friends (football supporters like him) and workmates (in the post office) to overcome the difficulties he finds, specially when dealing with his eldest son's criminal environment. Fighting to overcome problems makes him a better man and more couragous, too.
Memorable is the scene with his grandson as he meets his first ex-wife whom he still loves. Interesting is the way the director Ken Loach emulates Woody Allen's technique in merging reality and imagination in a sort of magical realism series of scenes between the protagonist's hero (the footballer Eric Cantona) and himself in a mock psychonalityic relationship between shrink and patient, which brings about most of his confidence to face a new and better life.
Secondly, the narrative is full of surprises as Eric moves from depression to heroism once he is able to face love and responsibility towards his sons. Therefore, there is at the same time a story about personal growth, a love story, a story about parenthood and adolescents, a story about friendship and the power of the group against the weakness of the individual, and, last but not least, a story of gangsters and crime which evidences that the British police do not play with dolls when fighting crime.
Finally, Paul Laverty, the scriptwriter, and the actors Steve Evets, Eric Cantona, Stephanie Bishop, etc. do a wonderful job. The film is appropriate for the many clues to British cultuture that is brings to us in OV (UGC and Albatros): the accent, the types, the popular culture around football matches, the police, the low-class youth, etc. A highly recommended funny film and a great comedy whose values are progressive to the root!
"He who is afraid to throw the dice will never throw a six" says Cantona when he is teaching Eric. That is the moral behind the film: he who does not take risks is already dead.
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