A story of ego and vanity, of friendship and camaraderie, of belligerence and principals, the based-on-fact The Damned United is a fascinatingly hilarious character study I found impossible to turn away from. The story of famed British football (that’s soccer for you and me) manager Brian Clough (Michael Sheen) and spinning back and forth between 1974 and 1969, the movie is a total winner I didn’t want to see come to an end.

Timothy Spall and Michael Sheen in Sony Pictures Classics' The Damned United

At its heart, this movie concerns itself with two relationships, one between Clough and his best friend and trusted lieutenant Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall) and the other between the volatile and outspoken manager and involving his bitter arch rival Don Revie (Colm Meaney), the headman for perennial league champion Leeds United. While one is a saga of triumph, regret, sacrifice and betrayal, the other is a peon to ego and vanity and how the bruising of one can end up tragically enlarging the other. Both relationships help the other evolve and build, and by the time things come to an end an unpleasant truth about the latter ends up having the hopeful potential to facilitate the saving of the former.

Even though the facts of this story are widely known, I find myself wanting to talk as little about their mechanics as possible in the hopes of not spoiling everything that happens within the film. I guess what I can say is that this isn’t so much a movie about football as it is a character study, and those going in expecting some sort of sports melodrama filled with on the field action are in for a surprise. The Damned United spends precious little time on the pitch itself, and other than some key in-game moments here and there its focus remains upon Clough pretty much right from the sound of the opening whistle.

For my money, I don’t think director Tom Hooper could have done a better job. While the movie isn’t exactly surprising whether you’re familiar with the true story or not, the ride is such a strong one this isn’t much of a problem. Working from a script by the great Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/Nixon) and based on the novel by David Peace, the movie is a character-driven spectacle that constantly fascinated. I almost couldn’t believe the things Clough were saying sometimes, and even in this day of Cable-driven media manipulation of professional sports figures a lot of his comments simply boggle the mind.

Sheen should have got an Oscar nomination for The Queen. He has arguably been the best thing about just about every film he has appeared in this decade, including his forays into lycanthrope hysteria in the Underworld adventures. Be all that as it may, I think this is the best performance I have ever seen by the actor. He bring Clough to life with electric vibrancy, this warts and all portrait so strong and stirring as much time as I spent hating the guy I couldn’t help but love him for his tenacity, drive and emotionalism in equal measure.

Spall, a gifted character actor best known for playing the sniveling Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter films who has never quite gotten the recognition he deserves, matches Sheen scene for scene and moment for moment. Taylor knows when to wear his heart on his sleeve as well as when to step back and assess any given situation with a deep cleansing breath. He knows what makes Clough click and he equally knows that his friend’s innate egotism could lead to their collective downfall. Spall embodies all of this and more, the two actors sharing scenes together I simply did not want to see come to an end.

The rest of the tasty supporting cast, including Meaney, Jim Broadbent and Maurice Roeves, are all excellent if a bit underutilized, while Robert Lane’s (“Elizabeth I”) vivacious score does tend to drown things every now and then thrown the focus on itself instead of on the story at hand. I also think Hooper losing his footing just a tiny bit towards the end, a little unsure of how to manipulate things so that Clough’s hope for the future and his regret for the past mix together in a way that’s wholly satisfying. 

Not that this changes anything. The Damned United is as strong and as stirring a character study as anything else similar that I’ve seen this year. Sheen and Spall hit the pitch running at full steam, their multifaceted and constantly evolving relationship the film’s gripping heart and soul. Hooper’s movie is one I simply didn’t want to see come to an end, and saying the whole thing is a winning kick straight to the center of the goal is a both an understatement and a pun I’m not even slightly ashamed to admit to stating.

Film Rating: êêê1/2 (out of 4)  

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