Thoroughly entertaining, cartoonish romp, part nostalgia fest, part buddy movie. You do not have to like football to enjoy it.
Comment
03/31/09
The Damned United (2009)
93
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:101
Fresh:94
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: 15 [See Full Rating]
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release:27-03-2009
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
Reviews for The Damned United
The Damned United is an entertaining and perceptive film.
03/31/09
Another man-of-the-match performance from Sheen saves this from mid-table mediocrity.
03/28/09
Top CriticAn incredibly entertaining 95 minutes spent in the company of one of the game's most interesting characters, and a testament to the way in which friendship can save us in our darkest hour.
03/28/09
Clough may have trampled on a few people's feelings, but nobody got killed. That said, there's enough drama in this 90 minutes to rival England vs. Argentina.
03/28/09
Chameleon Sheen gives another terrific performance in a compelling, funny drama you don’t have to like soccer to enjoy.
03/28/09
Hooper's cinematic debut is a mixed affair; a visual flair that perfectly encapsulates the period is blessed with some wonderful editing that tells the story from a dramatic, rather than sporting point of view.
03/28/09
The Damned United is really a tale of male camaraderie, sporting rivalry and the flawed nature of a man who many consider the greatest manager that England never had.
03/28/09
It romps along with an effortless bounce and charm. How much will stay with you, though, is another matter.
03/28/09
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 is, as such, a very British tale and a contender for football film of the decade.
03/27/09
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
Sheen thrives in the guise of the idiosyncratic Clough in a brilliantly candid, if bitty, football parable.
03/27/09
Top CriticThe 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
Top CriticAnyone 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
Top CriticThis 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
Top CriticThe Damned United zips along, is often funny and will give football fans of a certain age an enjoyable memory rush.
03/27/09
Top CriticHooper’s film rattles along crisply, with the director mixing punchy tussles on and off the field.
03/27/09
Brilliant and possibly the best British film of the last 5 years.
03/27/09
This is a unique film, the best yet about English football. I enjoyed every one of its 93 minutes. There aren't many movies I wish could have been longer. But, this is one of them.
03/27/09
Latest News for The Damned United
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August 11, 2009:
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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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