Damned United, The

Aroview: Michael Sheen gets under the skin of another (infamous) British personality in this charismatic portrait of superstar football manager Brian Clough, whose glittering record came unstuck when he took the reins of Leeds United, England’s most success soccer team in the 1970s.

Pitched on the simmering rivalry between former Leeds gaffer (and current England boss) Don Revie, and young hotshot Clough, the film delivers some fairly satisfying dramatic rewards in the competing managers' clash of coaching styles and macho one-upmanship, as well as offering juicy locker room insights for the ardent football supporter. As with stories of this nature though, the actual events that form the crux of the movie – namely, the mutiny of Leeds’ players and board – only stretch so far, while Clough’s other exploits (he transformed two languishing teams into world-beaters during his career) are neglected, perhaps as a way of avoiding the feel-good, underdog sporting cliché.

Based on a novel by David Peace, this produces a similarly craggy Yorkshire atmosphere to the writer’s excellent RED RIDING series.

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