A riveting character study of someone I never liked.In fact, I hated Brian Clough, whether he was managing Derby County, Leeds United or Nottingham Forest. I hated his whiny voice, his superior attitude, his success.
This film focuses on the 44 days Clough spent as manager of Leeds, and amply demonstrates what there was to hate about him. His selfishness. His pig-headedness. His treatment of his assistant, Peter Taylor.
Aside from the stunning acting by Michael Sheen and Timothy Spall, the big big takeaway from this movie is the shocking difference between the way the game was managed and played in the 70s, and the way it is now. Players smoking in the dressing room before the game, shabby stadiums, pitches and stars' homes. And those haircuts!
Best quotes:
In a TV interview after Derby County won the First Division championship: "I wouldn't say I'm the best manager in the business, but I am in the Top One".
When Clough and Taylor traveled to the south coast, to talk to the directors at Brighton: "Bloody Southerners. What are we doing here, we're almost in France!"
We were intrigued to see how a mostly American audience would take to this gritty as grit English film, but they seemed really into it, even without sub-titles for the Yorkshire, Scottish and Irish accents.
Awesome, dudes.
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