Yes, it does work, if there are sufficient holes drilled in the container. There may be some other factors that may have to be considered, but that will require more information about the problem being solved.
Many people have used metal or wire to cage the roots of their roses for problem solving and ended up having to dig them up again because the within a couple of years because they just didn't hold up, so plastic turned out to be a better solution both for sandy and clay soils. I haven't worked in "heavy clay", so someone with more experience with that kind of soil can probably address that question better than I can.
