The film does a fine job in recreating England of the 60s and 70s - big cars and rubbish clothes - but is less convincing when actors are called upon to play footballers.
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03/27/09
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The Damned United (2009)
93
%
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Reviews Counted:102
Fresh:95
Rotten:7
Average Rating:7.4/10
Consensus: Better than your average football pic, Damned United is carried by another star turn from Michael Sheen as Brian Clough.
Rated: R [See Full Rating]
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release:Oct 9, 2009 Limited
Box Office: $315,306
Synopsis: After tackling Tony Blair and David Frost, actor Michael Sheen turns to another driven historical figure: football manager Brian Clough. Talented but abrasive, Clough alienates some of those around... [More]
Starring: Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall, Colm Meaney, Jim Broadbent
Director: Tom Hooper
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Reviews for The Damned United
[A] very vivid, affectionately prickly film.
10/08/09
Morgan, scanning the book and deciding (perhaps shrewdly) to lighten it up, has fashioned for Michael Sheen, the actor formerly known as Tony Blair and David Frost, his best comic role yet.
03/27/09
As a film inspired by British football, this may hold limited appeal for American moviegoers. But it's also a film about a form of spurned love, which means it's a story about love and hate, which means it's a movie that everybody can relate to.
11/13/09
Classy light drama gets its larger than life scope from Brian Clough's own massive ego and Michael Sheen's sharp performance in the role.
10/08/09
This is a fresh, intelligent transformation, terrifically involving all the way through; it has responded to the human drama and found a persuasive anti-hero in Clough. His story has been recreated as mainstream entertainment with tremendous watchability.
03/27/09
A sports bad boy - well acted and photographed. I'll give it that.
09/30/09
It is, as such, a very British tale and a contender for football film of the decade.
03/27/09
There's nothing innovative about The Damned United, but it does exactly what it sets out to do with a clear sense of character and purpose, helped immeasurably by Morgan's rich dialogue and crafty structure
10/08/09
The biggest failure is the film’s portrayal of the Leeds team: the oddly-coiffured lads are never more than a unit and the calamity of Clough’s time in charge too much of a given.
03/27/09
Anyone who has ever kicked a leather football in anger — when they were brown, permanently sodden and weighed 10lb — will almost certainly love this.
03/27/09
...one of the best sports films ever made, despite the paucity of play on the actual field. Many think Sheen has been unfairly overlooked by the Academy for past performances, but his Brian Clough is a career best.
10/11/09
A colourful script, gorgeously cinematic direction and blistering central performance by Sheen make this one of the most entertaining biopics in recent memory. And it's definitely not just for football fans.
03/28/09
It's a little beauty of a film, made with immense skill, good humour and no small amount of affection.
03/27/09
Michael Sheen is pitch perfect again in this tale of a man and his ego
11/17/09
Smarter than Escape To Victory, more fun than Bend It like Beckham, but not quite the title-winning charge we were hoping for. Might challenge for a Champions League spot though.
03/27/09
Add an extra star rating for footie fans.
09/11/09
Top CriticA fairly standard and straight-forward biopic, but Sheen just has a way of personifying these public figures [and it's] another role perfectly suited for him.
09/14/09
The rise and fall of Brian Clough, fired after six weeks on the job from England's most successful soccer team. Excellent performances highlight an otherwise tepid biopic.
09/16/09
The enigma of Brian Clough has long fascinated British fans. The Dammed United offers no easy explanation, but plunges into the mysteries of the personality.
10/15/09
Top CriticLatest News for The Damned United
October 08, 2009:
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This week at the movies brings only one wide release: Couples Retreat, starring Vince Vaughn and Kristen Bell in a comedy about a group of friends in marriage counseling in a... More...
August 11, 2009:
Trailer & Poster review 
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March 27, 2009:
The Damned United - A Photo Primer
Today sees the release of The Damned United, which sees Michael Sheen play legendary football manager Brian Clough. Back in 1970s, before the Premiership, Sky TV and WAGS came... More...
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