Friday Night Lights - Review

Variable · Post by **Variable** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 6:52 pm

I just watched this with my wife last night. I tried to get the kids to watch, but they only lasted about ten minutes.

The movie starts off with some football lingo and character development-type stuff, which spawned some kid questions like "What's a 'cover two?'" Didn't take much of that before they were gonzo. But the OL, who took a bit of convincing to sit down and watch it in the first place(telling her that the box says Larry King called it "One of the best sports movies ever" didn't seem to help :D ), ended up saying that she liked it quite a bit.

Billy Bob Thornton was, as always, very good. I usually like him in films and am always amazed at how good he is at hardly changing his facial appearance, but conveying a different character in each film with different nuances. Or, maybe it's just that he can act, and I'm not used to seeing that in movies. :D He did pretty well though. It wasn't the canned "Now get out there and give 'em hell!!!"-type of football coach that we see in most sports movies.

Tim McGraw was excellent as the dickhead, verbally-abusive alcholic as well. In fact, he did such a good job of playing a dick, that I didn't even know it was him until they rolled credits. The depressing alcoholic story is one that I have zero interest in normally, as I watch movies to be entertained, not depressed. But this works since it is one of several characters' stories that are told and not the focus of the movie.

The high school players are all portrayed (refreshingly) by pretty good actors, who aren't all 27. You know how most sports movies have high school boys with receding hairlines and Grizzly Adams beards? Thankfully we were spared that this time. Derek Luke does an outstanding job as "Boobie Miles." He managed to make you dislike him, yet want him to do well at the same time.

The stuntwork in this movies is CRAZY. Most football movies or scenes have quick cut-a-ways and fast camera movements with guys flipping around on Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon wires. This movie had long camera shots with guys just getting full-on lit up. I have no idea how they didn't kill or paralyze at least five people making this movie.

Overall, I'd give this movie an A-/B+. It was very entertaining all the way through, but it put itself in the difficult position of trying to portray an entire football season in two hours. They can't possibly show everything that happened, so they had to fast forward from them making the playoffs [whoosh]through four rounds of the playoffs[/whoosh], and suddenly they're in the championship game a month later. They did an okay job of that, considering the circumstances, but I felt like I wanted to see more of what went on in those games, since the team was struggling as it made the playoffs. Basically, the film captured my interest, got me riveted to the screen and then fast-forwarded through a month of games.

Badfish · Post by **Badfish** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 9:05 pm

Thanks for the heads up.

My wife's boss's nine year old suggested it, so we are on the waiting list for it.

I'm more a comedy guy, but I dig on football.

tomas8 · Post by **tomas8** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 3:44 am

i watched it earlier this evening.
it brought back a lot of memories of my old high school football days (class of '85)
i played ball in a small texas town too, we weren't nearly as good as odesa, in fact, we pretty much sucked!
but the images and sounds really hit home, when i heard Sea Gull by bad company during the closing credits i fucking lost it, shit, i used to listen to that tape back then.
i'm still kinda emotional, fuck this shit! i'd give my right arm for one more chance to play football with my friends.

bbqjones · Post by **bbqjones** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 5:46 am

good review by variable. never heard of the movie. perhaps i dont follow the pop culture anymore like i used to btw. if its getting a to bplus reviews by the lazy fucks on this board, then it musbe at least a worthwileksss,m . i forgot what is sgoing to say.

tomas8 · Post by **tomas8** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 7:27 pm

bbqjones wrote:good review by variable. never heard of the movie. perhaps i dont follow the pop culture anymore like i used to btw. if its getting a to bplus reviews by the lazy fucks on this board, then it musbe at least a worthwileksss,m . i forgot what is sgoing to say.

it's really worth checking out, bbq.

Trampis · Post by **Trampis** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 1:06 am

I saw it.

And it was good.But is every one in Texas that high up on themselves?Ive heard that people in Texas all think they are badasses to the point of absurdety(present company excluded of course).Good God its just football.The movie portrayed Highschool football as all important to the comunity and the players were treated like Gods.Too much worship of highschool kids.

But still,a well acted and good movie overall.

BSmack · Post by **BSmack** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:00 am

Trampis wrote:I saw it.

And it was good.But is every one in Texas that high up on themselves?Ive heard that people in Texas all think they are badasses to the point of absurdety(present company excluded of course).Good God its just football.The movie portrayed Highschool football as all important to the comunity and the players were treated like Gods.Too much worship of highschool kids.

We have no idea what you're talking about.

sin

Indiana High School Basketball