The Damned United (Review)

The Damned United

Directed by: Tom Hopper
Starring: Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall, Colm Meany, Jim Broadbent


What’s It About

This is a fictionalized take on a real event that focuses on Brian Clough’s short lived time as United Leed’s manager and his relationship with his assistant Peter Taylor during the early seventies. Your probably trying to figure out who these people are and what or who the United Leeds are. Well, Brian Clough and Peter Taylor are considered in Europe as the best Manager and Manager Assistant Dou to ever to grace the field with a European Soccer League and the United Leeds were Europe’s best soccer team around that time.

Thoughts

If The Damned United was based on fictional characters and situations, it would still be a highly recommended film. I want to say this from the start because some people might be turned off at the thought of not knowing ANYTHING about these people. Trust me, it does not matter. Oh, and it’s not a sports film a la Remember the Titans or Hoosier. It’s more along the lines of Rocky in that it concentrates on the study of characters, not the sport itself. TDU asks, “What happens when you go from managing the worst soccer team in the entire league one day, to managing the absolute best team the next? What can it do to your ego? How would that change your treatment towards those around you? How much of your success can be credited to you?”

Michael Sheen (Frost/Nixon) steps into the shoes of Brian Clough, and sharing the screen as his assistant and best friend, Peter Taylor, is Timothy Spall (Enchanted, The Last Samurai, Harry Potter films). Describing their performance together as magnificent is really an understatement. There is an organic chemistry between the two that makes their onscreen bromance real (and not in a Brokeback Mountain kind of way). Also joining them are Colm Meany as Coughs rival, Don Revie, who is such a jerk to Clough without him even saying a word to him. When Revie shows up with his team to play against Cloughs team and you see all the work Clough put into making sure Revie and his boys had a good welcome, just to have Revie completely ignore him upon entering the gates of the stadium, your blood will boil. Stephen Graham (Public Enemies) also shows up in a minor role as the Leeds captain, Billy Bremmer, a character I wish would have had more time to develop since he helps create some of the mess you see.

Along with the great cinematography,which takes advantage of the murky gray scapes of England, one other aspect in TDU that was neat is how it jumps back and forth in its timeline. When Clough talks about how much he hates Don Revie, former manager of the United Leeds, it’s not enough for us to just know that. The screen goes black, a year clock counts down to the year the rivalry started, and then you are thrown into that storyline. It does this A LOT, but it never gets old and in fact, it makes for better storytelling! You won’t be left wondering who was who and why that and this did or did not occur.

Boy, I really enjoyed The Damned United. Peter Morgan, whose works include The Queen, The Last King of Scotland and last year’s Frost/Nixon, has once again turned in a script that is sure to garner some recognition come awards season. It’s a smart drama film with great funny moments and even if you don’t know who the people this movie is based on are, it won’t matter. It’s just a great film, period.

Memorable Moment

During one game, Brian Clough spends the whole time in his office which is lit only by the sunlight that comes in through his window. As he paces back and forth, nervous about what the outcome might be, the light is blocked and a loud noise follows. When he turns his head towards the window, he sees the shadows of fans standing to their feet celebrating.

FYI

This is Michael Sheen's seventh film in which he is portraying a real life character.

Score

9 out of 10