Friday Night Lights (2004)

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

.Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

I always had a soft spot for sport movies. I felt this movie was exceptional. In a small town inside of Texas, high school football is the most important event. When the Permian High Panthers loses its main star Boobie Miles, all hope is lost. It is up to newly appointed coach Gary Gaines to flare that hope again. The movie was shot in documentary-style. Similar to a reality show. It gives a realistic feel to the movie which helped the movie a lot. It distinguished itself from the other sport movies. It brings us closer to the team.What I loved the most in this movie is the sense of importance they brought to the football match. Everyone lived their everyday lives in the poor town without passion. Drinking beers, driving trucks, working in a gas station. But when it comes to the football match, It lights up their excitement like a firecracker. It seems as if the football match was their only source of happiness. They acknowledge this as well as the players. The seniors were doing their final year as a football player. They know they weren't good enough to go pro, and surely they weren't smart enough nor rich enough to pursue higher education. This was as good as it gets. That was why every match felt very exciting and heartbreaking to watch.

Almost everything works in this portrait of the madness for and around high-school football in a small Texas town. One of the best sports movies I've seen, largely because it's not really about the sport, or the big game, or winning and losing. It's about growing up, letting go of dreams, the pressure adults put on kids to fulfill their own dreams, losing perspective and gaining it. It seems to try and honestly look at both sides of high school football; how it helps young men grow, challenge themselves and bond, but at the same time how it subjects them to physical harm, an unrealistic set of expectations about life after being a local star, and being forced to carry a whole town on your shoulders when you're only 17. Some terrific visuals, both in the quick cutting ferocity of the games, and in the long aerial views of the empty Texas plains. A movie like this depends on its actors, because it is a character drama at its core. Much noise has been made of Billy Bob, and how he gives a great performance, and this is very true, but he is not the only star in this movie. The boys all do a great job too, especially Lucas Black. I have never noticed this actor before, but he is so intense as Mike Winchell that he makes you really feel for him. The other boys, including Derek Luke and Jay Hernandez, are also note- perfect.Few plot twists feel too familiar from other films. I understand those that say the film displays a superior attitude towards these small town people. But I found those weaker moments fleeting in a film that surprised me with the strength of it's acting, writing, and film making.

It was difficult to watch this movie as I am a big fan (along with many, many others) of the TV show that was based on this movie (and the book on which it was based). However, if you can leave behind your love for the fantastic casting of Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler as Tammy and Coach Taylor, you will also love this movie for the same reasons you loved the TV show. The depth of the character portrayals are as rich as those developed in the TV show, and the dialog rings as true there as here. And who does not love an underdog sports story."Being perfect is not about that scoreboard out there. It's not about winning. It's about you and your relationship with yourself, your family and your friends. Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn't let them down because you told them the truth. And that truth is you did everything you could. There wasn't one more thing you could've done. Can you live in that moment as best you can, with clear eyes, and love in your heart, with joy in your heart? If you can do that gentleman - you're perfect!"Or as the TV show condensed this speech: "Clear eyes, full heart, can't lose."The movie is not perfect, but it is darn close.For more of my movie reviews, please visit:https://nomorewastedmovienights.wordpress.com

It's tough to compete against movies in a similar genre (Rudy, Varsity Blues, Remember the Titans, Any Given Sunday, etc), however I strongly believe that this movie is set apart from some of it's predecessors.In a time where cities and towns alike view high school football as a religion, the story revolves mainly on 5 football players and their coach. Peter Berg depicts the story, based on the book by H.G Bissinger, of the high school football 1988 season of the Odessa, Texas Panthers. The underlying focus is undeniable: a constant pressure from an entire town to be the best at any cost; whatever it takes. But at what price? Berg paints his beautifully cinematic vision of the triumphs, downfalls and a memorable ending that has you cheering for the Permian Panthers and swaying in empathy to the pulsing guitar riffs of Explosions in the Sky.To my surprise it had every level of greatness: from a stellar break out cast- marking the beginning of Tim McGraw's and Garrett Hedlund's acting career. To a very favorable and impassioned speech by "Preacher" (Lee Jordan). Preacher, whose quiet demeanor is set ablaze in an effort to push his teammates onward. An excellent sound track (courtesy of Explosions in the Sky) that gives every scene an emotion, further than one could expect, where the you can see McGraw's character flourish as he strives with his inner demons to find a balance between teaching his son "how to be a man" but realizing he found his own way through the season. Most importantly it has a very compelling story line; it's not your "typical -happy-ending-for-the-team" movie. And that is indeed why I love it so much - you feel for the character's lives and how much they are affected by their decisions, each gaining something or suffering a loss.Lastly my two cents: every coach should take note; even though they attempt to sweep it under the rug, do not revolve every play after one player. The outcome may not be worth it.As someone who isn't too fond of football, but plays rugby- I can truthfully admit from the first time I saw this movie, I was hooked. For a sports movie, it has everything I look for in a great film.In short: a film to be crowned a classic sports movie.