Review of The Damned United (2009) by Aren B — 30 Aug 2010
A fascinating portrait of a little-known sports celebrity (at least in North America). Michael Sheenâ??s performance as the short-lived manager of Leeds United, Brian Clough, is simply astounding. After "The Queen," "Frost/Nixon," and "The Damned United," Sheen has cemented himself as the most impressive British actor working today.
Heâ??s a chameleon particularly talented at playing larger-than-life individuals. His characters donâ??t consist of tics or abstract emotions; he plays them charismatically and honestly, making the performances appear more than the sum of their parts.
As well, the visual aesthetic employed by Tom Hooper is appropriate to the drab 70s setting and grittiness of British football. Also, for a film that focuses on British football so much, the choice to include so little game footage is both daring and very effective.
This review of The Damned United (2009) was written by Aren B on 30 Aug 2010.
The Damned United has generally received very positive reviews.
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