Brotherly (true) love is something that American cinema seems embarrassed to discuss. "Superbad" is probably the best example of the concept, and of course it is buried by sophomoric humor. The true love concept is not even hinted at until the brief third act.
With the rise of the fascist tea party movement (This review's draft was written in 2010.), the ignorant masses' homophobia may make the coy approach a wise one. Imagine the freak out if this concept was juxtaposed with our football. How much did Gale "really" love Brian?
Fortunately, the Yankee assumption that Brits are poofs gives them the freedom to slide tackle this innocent concept. Shaun and Ed from "Shaun of the Dead", Billy Mack and Joe from "Love Actually", etc. The only problem with these lovers (not in a gay way) is that the comedy or subplots makes their morale secondary. This makes "The Damn United" a breath of fresh air. Not so much funny in terms of jokes, but a brilliant investigation of a theatrical British sport hero and the man who made him whole.
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Ulven Reviews
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When England failed to qualify for the 1974 World Cup, the Football Association determined that the best candidate for the team's manager was Don Revie. Revie had turned around Leeds United from a second division team to the champions of all domestic titles. His acceptance of the international team position left Leeds without a manager, and instead of selecting from their squad, the ownership board elected to fill the vacancy with the brash and charismatic Brian Clough, the best young manager in Division One (now the English Premier League).
Clough was also Revie's biggest rival. Disgusted with Leeds's style of play, he and his assistant the brilliant scout Paul Taylor were able to pull Derby County out of the second division to the Division One Championship. Unfortunately, Clough's obsession in destroying Revie's culture lead Derby to dismiss him and his staff.
He decides to take on the Leeds job, alienating Taylor. It is Clough who must take on the world, but could he do it alone, or was his bond with Taylor the source of his greatness? If that was the case, was he willing to acknowledge it?
Michael Sheen as Clough and Timothy Spall as Taylor give performances that should lobby for an ensemble Oscar to be developed. "The Damn United" has a marvelous cast and a script that makes viewers wish it was more palatable to American taste.
Sheen is finally allowed to shine as an incredibly likable character (My experience at the time with him were eccentric supporting characters with some anti-hero elements.) that serves as the focus of the film. This allows you to truly appreciate his acting prowess. His near perfect performance allows the perfect facilitation of the internal dilemmas and emotional growth that Clough goes through.
Perhaps my praise for Sheen maybe a bit much. Peter Morgan knows how to pen a script that should result in the lead obtaining an Academy Award, except when it comes to Sheen. Sport movies rarely score rewards for lead actors, but this could have been his Oscar winning/nominated combination. We did not hold "Twilight" against Anna Kendrick.
Morgan's script is more than just a great set of characters. His method of storytelling virtually directs itself. He successfully transitions between the past and present, which shows his understanding about how the past affects the current. This probably explains why all his projects seem to be fact based, but this is the first of his feature I have seen, so my assumption maybe off.
"The Damn United" is an excellent character study about how we need someone to depend on no matter how great you are. Michael Sheen is outstanding and Peter Morgan's screenplay is a fine example of how to tell a story. If it was any American sport, this would be a universal classic. It was just the wrong pitch for Sheen's acting to take.
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