The Damned United

Play trailer

The Damned United

R

2009

1h 37m

Drama

Biography

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

138 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

The story of Brian Clough's 44-day stint as manager of Leeds United Football Club takes place in 1974 England. When Don Revie quits Leeds to become the England boss, the outspoken Brian Clough takes charge. Determined to impose his own style upon Revie's tough-tackling team, Clough soon alienates his players and the board. Based on the book by David Peace.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Better than your average football pic, Damned United is carried by another star turn from Michael Sheen as Brian Clough.

Read Critics Reviews

Deborah Ross

The Spectator

08/29/2018

Moves along crisply with, mercifully, very little on-pitch football and many beautifully crafted, touching moments.

Go to Full Review

Ed Koch

The Atlantic

01/17/2018

The story should have added up to an interesting and exciting movie, but it didn't for me. It was not due to Sheen's acting, but rather to a boring and confusing script.

Go to Full Review

Graham Fuller

Film Comment Magazine

10/20/2014

The Damned United eliminates the existential anguish and pain that propelled Peace's novel, and curtails its lowering style.

Go to Full Review

Alistair Lawrence

Common Sense Media

11/29/2022

3/5

While the movie sensibly focuses on a relatively short period of Clough's career to tell its story, there's no escaping the liberties it takes with what actually happened, something that is likely to make soccer fans who know their history tune out.

Go to Full Review

Jason Best

Movie Talk

11/21/2020

Even if you have next to no interest in football, The Damned United is enormously entertaining.

Go to Full Review

Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

04/20/2020

4/5

A superb sports film, based on the best-selling book by David Peace.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Stephen C

@bob25009 Jul 7

1 hour and 37 minutes based on a true story. Rated R for Language.

See more

Mason W

@RT57124725 03/02/2025

The Damned United is a Worth Watch Football Film casting with Martin Sheen as Brian Clough who plays a brilliant role in this story, it’s a funny short Film that only takes up hour n half but if your a fan of dirty Leeds, you should enjoy this film

See more

John C

@RT25427934 09/10/2024

I don't mind football, but I doubt I could watch a movie containing lot of it, which is probably why I enjoyed The Damned United. It charts Brian Clough's ill-fated move from Derby to Leeds where he comes uncharacteristically unstuck in his managerial attempts. Martin Sheen is (as always) brilliant at playing the self appointed `greatest manager in England' and he's backed up by the equally excellent Timothy Spall and Jim Broadbent. You don't have to love, or even know much about, football to like this film. It's about someone who isn't quite as clever as he thinks he is. Therefore you can't help but take a little bit of evil delight in his fall from grace. However, although Clough isn't always the genius he believes himself to be, he's never far from it. So, even when he's down, you know he won't be there for long. Good British drama - very entertaining.

See more

isla s

@RT89656869 09/03/2022

This is a reasonably good film at depicting the passion people have for a local football team. Good performances from a good cast, particularly Michael Sheen and Timothy Spall. Its mainly about the level of influence that the manager has over the direction the football team take and how much attention others pay to him. I imagine football fans would enjoy this, so I'd recommend it, yes.

See more

avant s

@RT02026086 05/05/2022

one of the best sports movie out there.

See more

Adam Z

@RT74066928 05/02/2022

The movie is on Sheen and that's all it needs.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Tom Hooper

Director

Michael Sheen

Brian Clough

Timothy Spall

Peter Taylor

Jim Broadbent

Sam Longson

Stephen Graham

Billy Bremner

Joe Dempsie

Duncan McKenzie

The Last King of Scotland

87%

89%

The Last King of Scotland

Watchlist

Nowhere Boy

81%

74%

Nowhere Boy

Watchlist

Bronson

75%

74%

Bronson

Watchlist

The Fighter

91%

89%

The Fighter

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Fighter

Stoned

16%

44%

Stoned

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

The story of Brian Clough's 44-day stint as manager of Leeds United Football Club takes place in 1974 England. When Don Revie quits Leeds to become the England boss, the outspoken Brian Clough takes charge. Determined to impose his own style upon Revie's tough-tackling team, Clough soon alienates his players and the board. Based on the book by David Peace.

Director: Tom Hooper
Producer: Andy Harries, Grainne Marmion
Screenwriter: Peter Morgan
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Screen Yorkshire, Columbia Pictures Corporation, Left Bank Pictures, BBC Films
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Drama, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 9, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $449.6K
Runtime: 1h 37m

Most Popular at Home Now