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The Damned United (2009)

The Damned United tells the story of treasured football manager Brian Clough's monumental failure in charge of the then-prolific Leeds United team.

In many ways, this would be an extremely odd topic to make a movie on. It's not about a success story as most sports movies are about. It's about a fall from grace. A failure by someone bound to succeed.

It's about a manager who defied all expectations with an unfancied team in Derby County and then got his big opportunity at a big club and absolutely bottled it.

While the film is about a football manager and a football team, it's scarcely about football. Instead it's a character piece and portrait of dangers of hubris.

It's about a man who felt he was too big to fail and then went on to do exactly that. In many ways it's a film that really showcases how football is a team game and no matter how talented you may be, without your team members, you're nothing - a sentiment Clough realised after his sacking and prompt apology to his former assistant Peter Taylor who he unceremoniously neglected when taking up the Leeds job.

Michael Sheen is marvellous as Clough - showcasing that swagger and arrogance the famous former footballer had when things were going well for him as well as the dejected figure of a man who's lost it all when he failed at Leeds.

3.5/5