(CNN) Even "Mad Men's" Don Draper might have balked at the prospect of trying to promote a feature film about FIFA at the very moment the organization was engulfed by serious allegations of widespread corruption.

A full year after it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, FIFA's multi-million dollar biopic, "United Passions," went on limited release at cinemas across the U.S. this weekend.

And it's fair to say the reviews for the film, which stars Tim Roth, Sam Neill and Gerard Depardieu haven't been kind.

The New York Times calls it "one of the most unwatchable films in recent memory, a dishonest bit of corporate-suite sanitizing that's not good even for laughs."

No more sparing, the New York Post writes of a film that's "tedious, amateurish and hilariously ill-timed."

Now, the U.S. movie-going public has had its first say.

Unsurprisingly, few seem to be buying the opinion of FIFA general secretary, Jerome Valcke, who wrote in a letter to colleagues last year that the picture displayed "an open self-critical and highly enjoyable way the origins of FIFA."

According to the Hollywood Reporter , the movie took in a paltry $607 when it was screened at 10 U.S. cinemas over the weekend. One theater in Phoenix recorded a gross take of just $9, which means only one person paid to watch United Passions there.

If that wasn't bad enough, the UK's Independent newspaper had already reported in October 2014 that the movie had recouped just $190,000 in its first six months of release in selected countries.

It's highly unlikely that the film's poor performance will concern FIFA given it holds a reported $1.5 billion in cash reserves.

But even the FIFA bean counters must be feeling a little red-faced at just how badly United Passions has done, especially as little expense was spared making it.

Photos: Sepp Blatter - key moments in pictures Photos: Sepp Blatter - key moments in pictures Sepp Blatter has been president of FIFA, football's world governing body, since 1998.

Hide Caption 1 of 14 Photos: Sepp Blatter - key moments in pictures The 79-year-old Swiss has dominated the world's most popular sport over this 17-year period, although his reign not been without controversy. Hide Caption 2 of 14 Photos: Sepp Blatter - key moments in pictures Blatter faced a criminal investigation after winning the 2002 FIFA presidential election, being accused of financial mismanagement by 11 former members of the ruling body's executive committee, including his 1998 election rival Lennart Johansson. However, prosecutors dropped the case due to a lack of evidence. Hide Caption 3 of 14 Photos: Sepp Blatter - key moments in pictures In 2004, Blatter angered female footballers with his suggestion for how the women's game could be made more appealing. "They could, for example, have tighter shorts," said the Swiss. "Let the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball." Hide Caption 4 of 14 Photos: Sepp Blatter - key moments in pictures In 2008 Blatter was ridiculed after defending the desire of Manchester United's highly-paid star Cristiano Ronaldo to join Real Madrid. He said: "I think in football there's too much modern slavery in transferring players or buying players here and there, and putting them somewhere." In 2013 he had to apologize to Ronaldo after a bizarre impersonation of the Madrid star. Hide Caption 5 of 14 Photos: Sepp Blatter - key moments in pictures Blatter performed a U-turn on the use of goal-line technology and apologized to the English Football Association after an incorrect decision during the 2010 World Cup. Despite replays showing a shot from England's Frank Lampard had clearly crossed the line in the last-16 clash with Germany, the goal was not awarded. Hide Caption 6 of 14 Photos: Sepp Blatter - key moments in pictures In 2010, when England captain John Terry, who is married, was reported to have been involved with the partner of his former Chelsea teammate Wayne Bridge, Blatter responded: "If this had happened in, let's say, Latin countries then I think he would have been applauded." Hide Caption 7 of 14 Photos: Sepp Blatter - key moments in pictures In December 2010, Blatter was heavily criticized for suggesting gay football fans should "refrain from sexual activity" if they wished to attend the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal. Blatter later apologized and said it had not been his intention to offend or discriminate. Hide Caption 8 of 14 Photos: Sepp Blatter - key moments in pictures In December 2010 Blatter insisted that FIFA was "not corrupt ... there are no rotten eggs" despite two of his executive committee members -- Amos Adamu, pictured, and Reynald Temarii -- being suspended for accepting bribes in the lead-up to the vote for awarding hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. He called England "bad losers" after losing out to Russia. Hide Caption 9 of 14 Photos: Sepp Blatter - key moments in pictures A Manchester City fan displays a banner with a message for FIFA President Sepp Blatter regarding his handling of allegations of racism in football in 2011. Blatter had earlier suggested that incidents of racism on the pitch could be sorted out with a handshake when a game finished. Hide Caption 10 of 14 Photos: Sepp Blatter - key moments in pictures In January 2013, AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng led his team off the pitch after being subjected to racist chanting. His actions were hailed across the world. But Blatter was more cautious about the issue, refusing to support the move. "I don't think you can run away, because eventually you can run away if you lose a match," he said in an interview with a newspaper in the UAE. "This issue is a very touchy subject, but I repeat there is zero tolerance of racism in the stadium; we have to go against that." Others, like AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi, have disagreed with him. "I am of the opposite view (to Blatter)," said Berlusconi. "I thanked and congratulated my players for their decision to leave the field." Hide Caption 11 of 14 Photos: Sepp Blatter - key moments in pictures While Blatter has overseen the first World Cups in Africa and Asia -- South Africa in 2010 and Japan and South Korea in 2002 -- he has also presided over a decline in the public's perception of FIFA. Corruption allegations surrounded the bidding process relating to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively. Hide Caption 12 of 14 Photos: Sepp Blatter - key moments in pictures FIFA has also been heavily criticized for the employment conditions of workers building stadiums and infrastructure in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup. In early May 2015, Amnesty International released a report stating that FIFA was failing to demonstrate any sort of commitment to ensuring Qatar 2022 is "not built on a foundation of exploitation and abuse."

Hide Caption 13 of 14 Photos: Sepp Blatter - key moments in pictures Blatter is currently seeking another term at the head of FIFA. His only challenger is FIFA Vice-President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein from Jordan (right) although Blatter is widely expected to win. Hide Caption 14 of 14

"FIFA has contributed EUR 20 million ($22.2 million) to the film, the total cost of which is EUR 23.5 million ($26.1 million)," FIFA told CNN in an email.

"The costs have come out of the budget of the 2014 World Cup, which is contained in the Financial Report 2009 and was approved by the 2010 FIFA Congress."

Given the stench of scandal that has enveloped world football's governing body over the past 10 days, the rotten tomatoes and one-star reviews being afforded its silver screen project is probably the least of its worries.

U.S. prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for top FIFA executives on charges of bribery, money laundering, fraud and racketeering in recent weeks.

Swiss authorities have also opened separate investigations around the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively.

Yet the question remains just why big screen luminaries such as Roth, Neill and Depardieu agreed to take part in a project almost exclusively paid for by an organization long been dogged by corruption allegations and a lack of transparency.

"Did FIFA, the film's producer, have something it could use to blackmail the actors," questioned the Post.

Roth plays the recently elected FIFA president and alleged star of an ongoing FBI investigation Sepp Blatter, Neill takes on the role of Blatter's predecessor Joao Havelange while Depardieu is given the part of FIFA's third chief, Jules Rimet.

The film charts the reigns of each president and largely ignores matters on the field for the drama of boardroom.

Or, as David Rudin describes it in U.S. quarterly soccer magazine, Howler , "an actuarial exercise masquerading as a film. It is the story of successive generations of FIFA officials attempting to secure and manage the organization's finances."

Slightly more forcefully, the Hollywood Reporter states "the film presents a whitewashed portrait of the organization that has long been known for its shady business dealings and rampant corruption."

CNN sent interview requests to the representatives of Roth, Neil, Depardieu and the movie's director, Frederic Auburtin but none were willing to commit before publication.

However, the New York Times was more fortunate in at least pinning down Auburtin on the topic last week.

Did the FIFA members get arrested for that movie "united passions" they made glorifying themselves? Where Tim Roth started as blatter! — thomas lennon (@thomas_lennon) May 27, 2015

The 42-year-old, who has previously directed popular films such as Paris Je T'aime, said he had "no regrets," but bemoaned the lack of artistic license available to him in making the project.

"I didn't have the freedom to do a Michael Moore movie at all," Auburtin told the Times. "If I started the movie with flashlights and sirens coming to Zurich, like what happened last Wednesday -- I knew if we would write any line like this, everyone would say: 'What are you doing, man? Come on.'"

"Every time we are showing something about Blatter himself, it's very, very difficult because the guy is the boss," he said. "The guy is co-producing more than half the film, nearly 80%."

Still, Aubertin, who told the Times he has moved on to researching his next feature film, did give the paper perhaps one of the kinder reviews his picture has received.

"It's not such crap," he said.