The Damned United [Blu-ray]

This a great British movie, part sports movie and part drama. The cast performance was excellent and the story uplifting, I would recommend for any sports fan or brit film buff.

Football non-American style remains one of the best team sports to watch, partly because of its intensive working class roots and the local amateur clubs on which it's based. But I'm not a die-hard fan. I don't follow any club and had never heard of Brian Clough. So when I say that this movie is worth watching for all the reasons a good movie is always worth watching - from screenplay to acting to direction - I hope you'll watch it yourself and agree: it's a fine development of the political dimension of all interpersonal relations. Michael Sheen beautifully renders a difficult personality, used to winning by bully tactics, beginning to recognize how essential others are to his own success; Timothy Spall delivers an outstanding performance as Clough's assistant manager (the "goods in the back"); and Colm Meaney gives us the complex rival who excels at strategy but eventually fails by way of tactics.  The Damned United

These were the days of terraces, muddy pitches, cups of tea in the dressing room and a brutal honesty - the kind of honesty that made you play for a club because you wanted to and supported a team rather than the output of a marketing department. If you only know of the EPL, follow Manchester United, Chelsea and now Man. City because of the glamour, then you will never understand what drove Brian Clough, played brilliantly by Michael Sheen. Clough is a football purist - the kind that sees beauty in a great pass and movement as well as a well taken goal. His failing is that it's these same qualities that he hides behind in his personal battle with the legacy of Don Revie.Clough's definition of success is not the same as Revie's, nor are his personnel skills. It's this constant battle to impose a new culture that follows a winning culture that has challenged many a managers - the results are never the same, some often leading to total capitulation.Fantastic acting, realistic, meticulous care in ensuring the players look like the 70s legends. So enjoyable I had to watch it twice.

Before giving us Best Picture THE KING'S SPEECH (2010), Tom Hooper made the glorious, British "football" biopic, THE DAMNED UNITED.You needn't know of Leeds United, 1970's-era English football, or even manager Brian Clough to adore this film. Morgan's screenplay (based on David Peace's novel) creates a most compelling triangulation of adult male friendships and rivalries.Clough (played to perfection by Michael Sheen) adores his dutiful right-hand man, Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall), while despising his rival Don Revie (Colm Meaney). When he takes over for Revie (who leaves Leeds to coach the English national team), Clough's on-the-field failures lead to a falling out with his friend.UNITED is a joyride of a sports film. There is the thrill of competition and the agony of defeat, of course...made all the more so by the inner turmoil that drives the talented Clough, who is haunted by father-figures from opposite ends of the spectrum.Sheen's performance here could have been just brash and cold, yet it is his portrayal of Clough's desperation and vulnerability that gives this film a beating heart and a loving soul.THE DAMED UNITED is classic Tom Hooper in that way; damnable famous men resized to next-door neighbor scale.

If you appreciate top notch character acting, stop right here and buy this now.The movie is a triumph of soccer history (some of it may have been dramatized) and on a greater scale, the human condition. The Damned United stands up to multiple viewings, and Michael Sheen's acting is so fine in the first 10 minutes that it completely sucks you in.Brian Clough is Britain's most celebrated soccer coach, because he worked magic with lowly teams repeatedly. Except one. Sheen channels what I imagine Clough would be like with incredible chops.Can't say enough about it, even if you're not a fan of soccer.For those of you non-british folk, there are a couple of weird things that took me a bit to figure out:1) "Darby county" is spelled Derby County. "Darby" is how the british pronounce "Derby". You'll hear it on any modern soccer broadcast between Man U and Man City for instance.2) Majorca (pronounced in the movie "me-york-a") is a vacation getaway popular with Britons. Think of it like Bermuda for Americans.

Awesome movie. I'm a big fan of soccer. When I saw most of this movie on Starz I was intrigued I read up on the real life story it was based and I knew I had to see the whole thing. Brian Clough was correct what he said about where he and Don Revie would be in 5 years from where the movie ended. Clough took Nottingham Forrest to the European Cup (now UEFA Champions League) twice, something Revie couldn't do with Leeds United. And Revie pretty tainted his legacy after coaching in the UAE.Today Derby County and Leeds United aren't the huge powerhouses they were back than.This movie is a must for all soccer fans.

what's not to like? it's very well acted, and it's very well shot. The pacing is never boring - it's a good movie - yes there are inaccuracies, but not too many - although, I still do not know what purpose it served to have the lead character pace the locker room while his team was playing an important game. Of course this didn't happen in reality, and unfortunately, on film, it's a glaring mistake! As the audience, we are sitting home like, wtf is this guy in the locker room, when his team is out there playing? I doubt there is a manager on earth that goes an hides while his/her team is playing........an if there is, fire them.... aside from that, good movie. This was one of the RARE times I bought a movie because of the trailer

En bon amateur de football et en particulier de la Premier League anglaise, j'ai été séduit par The Damned United qui retrace la vie d'une légende du football Anglais Brian Clough ! De Derby County à Leeds ou il resta (44 jours) seulement. Torturé et alcoolique avant d'être limogé pour enfin connaître des jours glorieux au mythique club de Nottingham Forrest. Ce biopic écrit par Peter Morgan et réalisé par Tom Hooper nous rappelle qu'à la base tout est une question de relations entre les humains. Que cela soit dans le monde du football ou non. Comment se faire comprendre, comment être ambitieux et en même temps judicieux avec ce qui se joue autour de nous. Quelles sont les attitudes qui nous permettent d'avancer dans la vie, dans notre métier et qui nous mènent là ou nous voulons être. Très beau jeu d'acteur, Michael Sheen joue à la perfection cet entraîneur charismatique trop imbu de lui-même, et attachant malgré tout ! Timothy Spall est génial, Jim Broadbent incarne ici un président de club droit dans ses bottes sans oublier Stephen Graham au casting. La photographie est manifique est superbement bien filmé. Les décors du football nostalgique de vieux papa, les terrains de foot mal entretenus, la pluie des soirs de matchs, l'ambiance Sixties et 70s à la manière British de l'époque est parfaitement retranscrite ! Une pure merveille à découvrir absolument pour les footeux. Une plongée dans l'univers du football qui se laisse regarder comme un film noir à suspens et sa conclusion est tout bonnement jubilatoire. RIP Brian Clough !

A great film for football fans. Realistically played, kept us interested all the thru the film. I definetly recomend it!!

Un film qui rappelle qu'à la base tout est une question de relations entre les humains. Que cela soit dans le monde du football ou non. Comment se faire comprendre, comment être ambitieux et en même temps judicieux avec ce qui se joue autour de nous. Quelles sont les attitudes qui nous permettent d'avancer dans la vie, dans notre métier et qui nous mènent là ou nous voulons être. Très beau jeu d'acteur. A voir!

je n 'aime pas le foot mais j adore l 'écrivain David Peace.Alors j ai vu ce film par curiosité et alors là une vraie révélation.celle d un entraineur anglais :Brian Clough qui dirigea les leeds united pendant 44 jours.Un portrait coup de poing, humain, vif, sans temps mort,drôle, bouleversant,vivant et d'une finesse incroyable.Un pur coup de foudre.

Excellent film et histoire vrai