The Damned United (2009)

the audience applauded

A Masterpiece!

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Brian Clough was a very interesting man. A genius football manager yes, but certainly an interesting man, and not always for the right reasons.I'm not a huge source of knowledge about the real man, so can only take this films version as being close to accurate. I think Sheen gives an accomplished performance, and dominates every scene he is in.The films heavy handed approach to language is the only thing that put me off slightly. I get that in a mans world like behind the scenes of a football club there would be swearing, but it alienated this viewer.Don't get me wrong though, this is a better than average film.

For me, in addition to the fine writing, acting and directing, "The Damned United" was a movie to cause some self-reflection as I saw myself in the character of Brian Clough. The self pride and arrogance that results from fixating on a particular goal for vengeful purposes which, in my professional life, I have been guilty of myself.The collateral damage caused to the ones who care about you in those circumstances can be devastating and result in the loss of friendships. Thankfully in the case of Mr. Clough it is eventually a lesson learned but even then comes the rebuilding of bridges.This movie has become one of my favorites as I was able to apply the moral to my own self in a way that can have a positive result while entertaining me with all the humor, drama, action and emotional passion that is the mark of a solidly good film.Although I feel that the movie is presented in a manner that provides entertainment to a wide scoping audience, fans of European Soccer as well as fans of competitive sports overall would particularly appreciate this movie.

The Damned United belongs to the the very limited category of the good biopics.The viewer is quickly sucked in by the story that deals with just a fragment of the incredible career of the legend that was the charismatic Brian Clough.The scenario is precise, almost surgical, and very dynamic from end to end so that it is impossible to get bored. It is carried by excellent actors, Michael Sheen on top, disconcerting of ease in its Clough role.As for the direction and photography, they are very polished and Tom Hooper offers us strong shots that emphasize the story perfectly.Fond of biographies, the latter will less successfully direct two years later The King's Speech, proving that the biopic genre is a risky one.

Michael Sheen in another bio and what a magnificent character he gets to play this time. However, if you are not a fan of him, stay away because he is on screen every minute of the "damned" thing.It was written with him in mind and while I was enjoying his performance on screen, I could not help but feel left out on something. Then it struck me, there is virtually no believable reaction to this enormously unsympathetic character, except at that crucial moment in Brighton.The story involves his hatred of the Leeds team and we are basically left with him ranting and raving about this hatred in the scenes in 1974. I would have liked a little more background on the relationship between he and the players at Leeds, because you know there must have been more to it then what is shown.Instead, the main focus is on the Taylor/Clough relationship, which although nice, is kind of something you have seen over and over again.This is not a bad film by any means, but it wasn't that fulfilling as I would have thought, and that last scene is really dragged out endlessly. Bromance comedies are all the rage now, but I thought that the last scene could have worked just as well without that dialogue. Sorry, it made me kind of sick.