Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2012

As sports tragedies go, the plane crash that killed half the members of the Manchester United football club’s legendary young 1958 starting squad rates right up there. But it brought together the international football community as never before. This moving British TV movie views the event and its emotional aftermath through the eyes of the 19-year-old, soon-to-be-great Bobby Charlton (Jack O’Connell), who survived the crash. But the film belongs to a riveting David Tennant as the fiery, unconventional coach Jimmy Murphy. Also an excellent Dougray Scott as team owner Matt Busby. There’s no football.