Zizou

I saw Zidane at the Curzon Soho on Friday. He was doing keepy-uppys in the cafe, with a gauloise in one hand and a copy of Camus' L'Etranger in the other...

Nah, silly. I mean Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait. Less a film and more an art installation, it was hypnotic and mesmerising in parts but, devoid of plot, it was, for long periods, a tad dull.

Zidane's may not have been in the best of form at the time of the game featured - although there are occasional flashes of his sublime skills - but what is striking about the film is how little he is involved in the game. Much of the game passes without his influence and you realise what a lonely existence it can be; out-there, on the pitch, even in the midst of a team game and surrounded by 80,000 supporters. Only viewing the overall context, i.e. the game and the other 21 players, for very brief spells serves to highlight the partial existence of the individual player.

I've seen it printed that you should see this only if you are a football fan and/or a Zidane fan. That's possibly true as otherwise you may think it pretentious twaddle, but for a football fan it is also a curious watch. As a fan you inevitably long to see more footballing action, to witness another example of Zidane's genius, and to watch the game in its wider context. But the film's purpose is not to provide an orthodox review of Zidane's finest moments - it wouldn't be any different from a Sky-Sports style feature if it did - so the film does become a bit frustrating for your average football fan. Having said that, most football fans know all about frustration so they might find the film a cathartic experience.

So I'm not sure I can give a thumbs-up to Zidane but its certainly better than this guy's efforts...