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I just returned from a trip studying overseas with my university and during the trip we went to England. In the plane I was exposed to a movie that I'd never heard of titled "The Damned United." It's a story about a soccer coach who built up a team in the 70s only to become the coach of its rival club. After only 44 days he was asked to resign by the Directors due to his poor performance and the players distaste for him.
Note that he went on after being fired to coach nearly two decades at Nottingham Forest and lead them to great success, but this movie focuses on the rise and brief fall of one of the most outspoken football managers of all time. Here is a review from my website of it.
The Damned United Review
What are your thoughts on this movie? Watch it and get back to me!
Note that he went on after being fired to coach nearly two decades at Nottingham Forest and lead them to great success, but this movie focuses on the rise and brief fall of one of the most outspoken football managers of all time. Here is a review from my website of it.
The Damned United Review
My travels abroad began with a dreadful 26 hour string of flights. If it hadn’t been for this insightful bit of English football history I might not have made it through. The Damned United is a cinematic depiction of Brian Clough, one of the best football managers England has ever had. It tells of his early career with Derby County and his 44 days as the manager of a club he hated, Leeds United.
The story speaks of Clough’s wild ambition and how that fire nearly ruined him. You see him at great heights as he leads Derby to the top of the league; You see him self-destruct as well as he tears Leeds apart in just 44 days. If you are expecting a action packed football movie then look elsewhere, but if you want an interesting look at the makeup of Brian Clough and his relationship with assistant Peter Taylor this is a movie for you.
As far as the acting goes, Michael Sheen is fabulous in his portrayal of Clough. After watching the movie I highly recommend watching some youtube clips of the real Brian Clough interviews. Though they recreate the interviews, some on field action is still included from the 1970s. The film does a great job of mixing those actual clips with the captured material.
Before the movie I had little interest in English club football, but this was very cool to learn how it is ran and how exciting it can be. When rating a movie you ask if it fulfilled its purpose, and not a lot of movies could have told this amazing story better. I give The Damned United 4 out of 5 Heads simply because I felt the on field play (particularly in the Leeds friendly and EUFA semis) could have been expanded a little more.
Even if you hate European football (AKA Soccer) check this movie out. You will enjoy it. Promise.
The story speaks of Clough’s wild ambition and how that fire nearly ruined him. You see him at great heights as he leads Derby to the top of the league; You see him self-destruct as well as he tears Leeds apart in just 44 days. If you are expecting a action packed football movie then look elsewhere, but if you want an interesting look at the makeup of Brian Clough and his relationship with assistant Peter Taylor this is a movie for you.
As far as the acting goes, Michael Sheen is fabulous in his portrayal of Clough. After watching the movie I highly recommend watching some youtube clips of the real Brian Clough interviews. Though they recreate the interviews, some on field action is still included from the 1970s. The film does a great job of mixing those actual clips with the captured material.
Before the movie I had little interest in English club football, but this was very cool to learn how it is ran and how exciting it can be. When rating a movie you ask if it fulfilled its purpose, and not a lot of movies could have told this amazing story better. I give The Damned United 4 out of 5 Heads simply because I felt the on field play (particularly in the Leeds friendly and EUFA semis) could have been expanded a little more.
Even if you hate European football (AKA Soccer) check this movie out. You will enjoy it. Promise.
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