THE DAMNED UNITED (The Damned United (DVD))

Member Name: tuttgarm

Product:	The Damned United (DVD)
Date:	21/05/09 (13 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: CLOUGH'S RIVALRIES WITH CHAIRMAN AND MANAGERS

Disadvantages: NOT ENOUGH BACKSTORY

The Damned United is a brilliant portrayal of the novel by David Peace. While the film is a less brutal version of Peace's novel it is still a masterclass for any fan of football and particularly Clough.
The film centres around Brian Clough played by Michael Sheen and his turbulent time at Leeds United after his success with Derby County. Sheen is superb as Clough with not only the voice, but appearence resembling Clough's.
Timothy Spall as always is brilliant as Clough's assistant Peter Taylor. The scenes around these two best friends who start to fall out are particularly good. Jim Broadbent deserves special praise as Derby County's chairman who feuds constantly with Clough. Clough's main protagonist is Don Revie the previous Leeds managet. The clashes between these two in the film show genuine anomosity.
The supporting cast are excellent especially the Leeds United players who detest Clough being their manager for previous comments made against the club that forbodes Clough's failure. Once more Leed's players such as Billy Bremner are strikingly similiar to the real thing.
The film set in the seventies features all the music you would expect from this period. The setting of the football matches are brilliantly emphasised so that when you are watching you actually believe it is real.
The use of real archive footage, featuring Mohammed Ali adds a real seventies feeling.
The only downside to the film is a lack of backstory particularly Clough's early retirement that is the cause for his desire to suceed at management. Clough's family could also have featured more in the movie to show a softer side to Clough.
The extras are worth buying the DVD for alone as there is plenty of archive footage of Clough with all his classic quotes.
Overall, The Damned United is close to been the best football movie ever.

Summary: THE DAMNED UNITED SHOWS CLOUGH AT HIS BEST