Overview
A tumultuous journey through the highs and lows of football management in 1970s England.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- abrasive
- intense
- sports film night
- british cinema night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film intelligent, involving, and unusually strong for a football drama, led by Michael Sheen's uncanny performance as Brian Clough.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film adapts David Peace's novel while presenting Brian Clough's Leeds tenure through fictionalized conflict and disputed historical interpretation.
Brian Clough's hostility toward Leeds United's players and their playing style drives the central friction.
Clough's antagonism toward Don Revie is intensified by his longing for Peter Taylor, who remains at Brighton.
The story moves through Leeds, Derby, Brighton, and other English football institutions during the 1970s.
Films like The Damned United, and why
Fever Pitch
shared association football setting, biographical drama, institutional conflict, and charismatic manager protagonist
The First Great Train Robbery
shared sports drama framework, intense ambition, abrasive leadership, and British cultural context
Rush
shared biographical sports storytelling, competitive obsession, and emotionally charged mentor relationships
The Social Network
shared period drama, professional rivalry, ego-driven conflict, and acclaimed central performance
Movie Details
- Director
- Tom Hooper
- Release Date
- 2009-03-27
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (732)
Cast
- Michael Sheen
- Timothy Spall
- Colm Meaney
- Jim Broadbent
- Maurice Roëves
- Stephen Graham
- Henry Goodman
- Mark Bazeley
- Giles Alderson
- Martin Compston
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Damned United about?
- An audacious football manager confronts a hostile club, a hated rival, and his own dependence on the trusted partner he left behind.
- What is The Damned United like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Damned United as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Damned United violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Damned United as mild.
- What did critics think of The Damned United?
- Critics broadly found the film intelligent, involving, and unusually strong for a football drama, led by Michael Sheen's uncanny performance as Brian Clough.
- Which films are like The Damned United?
- Films with a similar feel include Fever Pitch, The First Great Train Robbery, Rush, and The Social Network.
- How long is The Damned United?
- The Damned United runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Damned United?
- In United States, The Damned United is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
