The Damned United - A Review

It was always going to be difficult. The David Peace novel was so unusual, so unique in its style, that a traditional book-to-film transition was nearly impossible. How could the film replicate the inner demons Clough suffered from?

Quite simply, it didn't. To be fair, there were not many choices as to how it could be done. As any film-maker will tell you, a voice over is a cop out. The quality of the book didn't deserve a cop out.

So, without the inner voice which set the novel apart, the film didn't have any edge, right?

Wrong.

Michael Sheen's Clough was almost as witty and confident as the original. Timothy Spall wasn't the obvious choice for Clough's sidekick Peter Taylor, yet pulled off the role with aplomb.

While some of the Leeds players were a little strangely cast, the film transformed the meaning of the novel - it was less about the conflict between the public and the private faces of Brian Clough, and more about his relationship with others.

The Clough family were understandably peeved when the novel came out. This may change if they were to watch the film as many of the aspects of Clough's drinking and smoking which his widow was unhappy about have been toned down.

In that sense, it may have done the book a little disservice. It was more like a biopic of Clough rather than a direct adaptation of the novel. The film shows Clough through rose-tinted spectacles, but, with hindsight, that is no bad thing.

Rumours are abound relating to a sequel. "Clough : The Forest Years" - something I would definitely pay to see.

Conclusion : You will be disappointed if you want to see a film about the novel, but if you are going to see a film about Brian Clough, the you will leave with a smile.


By Tom Snee, Live Media UK