I went to see this last night
and i think it's one of the best football films Ive ever seen despite the fact Ive only more recently become interested in Brian Clough's life plus I don't support Derby County, Leeds United or even Nottingham Forest. Having watched the Brian Clough documentary on ITV the other night I became massively interested in watching this film even though i didn't read the book.
Nevertheless I thought this film was very well acted by the whole cast especially of course Michael Sheen as Clough himself who was absolutely brilliant and seemed to be very committed to the role just like his previous portrayals of Kenneth Williams, Tony Blair and David Frost. He engages himself in the role with such cockiness and self esteem and becomes Clough without breaking sweat throughout the film. I hope he gets some award recognition for this film but as it's very early in awards season that looks unlikely unless the Brits give him something.
Though he didn't look anything like Peter Taylor, Timothy Spall was very effective in the role and im guessing he was the closest (and better acting) person they could find. That didn't stop him from playing such a warm character who you could understand sympathy for especially in the argument scene with Clough in Brighton when Clough is offered the Leeds job and wants Taylor to join him . A sense that their friendship is more that just business is apparent with many hugs and a close relationship in which both men's family members (especially the wives) are reduced to being on screen very briefly and then not shown.
Colm Meaney plays Don Revie with such a cold attitude and bitterness that it's possible that the Revie family may sue both David Peace and the film's producers for possibly showing him as an despiteful human being who becomes Clough's main nemesis from their first meeting in an FA cup tie at Derby to the evening Clough is sacked as Leeds manager and is forced to take part in a joint interview with Revie on live television leading to their infamous verbal showdown. It's probable that Revie was a horrible man or maybe he wasn't but you can understand Clough's admiration for the man prior to their first meeting and his bitterness toward him in that interview.
Jim Broadbent is only in a few scenes in Damned United as Sam Longson, the long suffering chairman of Derby County who struggles to cope with Clough pressuring him to pay money for players even though the club are desperate to clear their debts. However his scenes and the dialogue given to him are very well acted and you can see a fallout beckoning between Longson and Clough in the scenes they are in together every time they're on screen.
As for the rest of the cast Stephen Graham (This is England, Public Enemies) is the only main stand out as Billy Bremner, the Leeds captain who from the very beginning of Clough's reign did not want him as manager preferring for Don Revie to come back. Graham is slowly becoming the new Sean Bean in terms of playing horrible characters and he continues that as he portrays Bremner as arrogant and uninterested in Clough's managerial tactics thus leading to a player revolt at the club.
Overall this film as said before is well acted and Peter Morgan's adaptation of the book is more light hearted and shows Clough in a nicer kind of way unlike the selfish and horrible man it shows him in the book. Apart from obviously Timothy Spall's non comparable appearance to his character Peter Taylor you also can't help but want more from the film itself wishing it would actually show Clough and Taylor's times at Nottingham Forest. The film is also beautifully choreographed and captures the 60's/70's time line with a dark and dullness looking approach similar to the recent David Peace TV Series Red Riding.
Definitely for all football fans 8/10