Watch The Damned United

The Damned United is a 2009 movie based on the book of the same name by David Peace, which follows the story of Brian Clough, a football coach who took charge of Leeds United in 1974. With his uncompromising personality and his controversial leadership style, Clough managed to turn the team into one of the most successful in England in just a few short years.

The movie is set in the 1970s and follows Clough's rise to the top of the English football scene, as he takes over Leeds United from the legendary Don Revie. Clough's appointment is viewed with great skepticism by the players, the staff, and the fans of the club, as he is seen as an outsider who wants to disrupt the existing order. Clough, however, is undeterred by the challenges he faces and sets out to transform the club according to his own vision.

The movie is a riveting drama that explores the complex relationships between Clough, his assistant Peter Taylor, and the players of the team. Clough's hard-nosed and confrontational approach make him many enemies among the players, who resent his attempts to upset the existing power structures within the club. Clough's relationship with Taylor is also fraught with tension, as the two men have very different personalities and ideas about how to run the team.

As the story unfolds, we see Clough's obsession with winning at all costs begin to take its toll. His single-minded approach to management causes him to alienate many of the people around him, including his own family. We also see the toll his uncompromising personality takes on his health, as he becomes increasingly stressed and depressed.

Despite its focus on the world of football, The Damned United is ultimately a character-driven drama that explores the themes of ambition, loyalty, and betrayal. The performances by the lead actors are superb, with Colm Meaney delivering a career-best turn as the charismatic and mercurial Clough. Meaney perfectly captures the coach's wit, charm, and iron-willed determination, making him both a magnetic and a deeply flawed character.

The movie is directed by Tom Hooper, who would go on to direct the Oscar-winning film The King's Speech. His visual style is understated and elegant, letting the performances and the script do most of the heavy lifting. The movie's pacing is slow but deliberate, allowing the tension to build slowly and giving the audience time to get to know the characters.

One of the most striking things about The Damned United is how it presents a vision of football that is far from the glitz and glamour of modern times. The movie takes us back to a time when football was a rugged and brutal sport, played by hard men in muddy fields. The scenes of matches are gritty and visceral, with the camera angles and editing emphasizing the violence and intensity of the game.

Overall, The Damned United is an outstanding movie that explores the darker side of football and the human psyche. It's a powerful, character-driven drama that will resonate with anyone who has ever been driven by ambition or struggled with personal demons. The movie is a must-see for fans of football and for anyone who appreciates great cinema.

The Damned United is a 2009 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 38 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.5 and a MetaScore of 81.