My Netflix choice this weekend was The Damned United (which didn't seem to be out in theaters for too long, presumably because most Americans don't heart the soccer).
The film is a fictionalized tale of the true-life implosion of Brian Clough at Leeds United, with an emphasis on fictionalized: Clough's family and the few key players that are still alive are none too pleased with the accuracy of the film or the book the film is based on. The plot, in a sense, is the polar opposite of most sports flicks. There are countless tales of coaches leading a motley crew of underdogs to glory. Clough, on the other hand, inherited the dominant side in English football, promptly alienated the players by calling them cheaters, led the team to an abysmal record, and was fired after a mere 44 days. If you're going to go out, go out with style, I guess.
The film does not take a linear approach, with Clough's 44 days at Leeds spread out amongst flashbacks to his rise to fame at Derby County. That sequence, if edited out from the later failures, could read like a typical uplifting sports movie: Clough, along with assistant Peter Taylor, turned Derby from a bottom of the table second division club to one of the best teams in the country. Along the way he developed a deep rivalry (read: unhealthy obsession) with Leeds manager Don Revie. At Derby Clough was often brash an controversial, but was a darling of the media and club supporters. But after a tiff with the board of directors, Clough found himself out of a job. He landed at another small club, Brighton & Hove Albion, but when Don Revie left to become manager of the England national squad, Leeds came calling and Clough found himself replacing his bitter rival.
So, to recap, this movie involved 1) English football in the seventies (awesome -- though I could have used some footage of Ossie and my Chelsea boys, aka the 1970 FA Cup Champions over Leeds United in the final) and 2) partially true, soap-opera style drama. In other words, I should have loved this move. But I walked away thinking it was just okay. Why? The only likable character was Peter Taylor and he wasn't around too often. I didn't have anyone to root for. Clough, as presented in the film, was a total jerk. The Leeds players? Jerks. Don Revie? Jerk. Example: on Clough's first day at Leeds he calls the team out for their dirty play. Based on the matches I've seen of Leeds in the seventies, I'm inclined to agree with Clough. But Clough is so arrogant and unlikeable when he says it, I can't really side with him. So, other than a bit of schadenfreude at Leeds' failure (as a loyal Chelsea girl, I hate our old northern rivals) the film wasn't very satisfying.
Verdict: Three stars.
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