Review of Friday Night Lights (2004) by Gavin M — 08 Feb 2015

This is without a doubt in my mind the greatest sports movie ever made. I know a lot of people will say "Remember the Titans" is the best sports movie and I will agree on that, but there is something about "Friday Night Lights" that just sticks out when you watch it.

It's a very emotional, engaging and very straight forward football movie that tells it for what it really is and that is why I love this movie. And it's mostly due to the fact that Billy Bob Thorton is so good as the coach of the Odessa, Texas, high school football team the Permian High Panthers.

"Can you be perfect?" That's the question Billy Bob asks his players in the middle of preseason training. That they are in the business of protecting their town and that they will, WILL make the state playoffs.

..and win! The confidence and the pressure hits you automatically when Billy Bob delivers that speech to his team out in the football field that beautiful afternoon just before the season kicks off and all the media is their watching, studying every player because in Texas, football is life.

It's more than life, it's a religion. To not be able to play football in that Texas town is the greatest sin known to man if you did not participate in that great sport that they endure so much.

It's just crazy to think how much that state is obsessed with football and that it is important, no I'm sorry, it is REQUIRED that you win state and get that fancy ring that pretty much everyman in Texas wears on their finger because that team is proud and defensive of the fact that they are the perfect football team.

The scene that really sticks out to me is when Bill Bob is coming out of the flee market with his wife and daughter and as they are crossing over to the parking lot towards their car they are stopped by two Texas gentlemen, both who are heavily invested in their team and literally inform Billy BoB to just go out their and get it done, and by that I mean WIN.

Billy Bob then tells the two that he knows what they are saying and that he wants it just as bad as they all due, but tries to point out that the team they are up against for the championship which is the Dallas Carter football team are literally some big and tough fellas, no joke.

But then the driver with the mustache and cowboys hat says to him "Yea, well...we're a pretty tough team too couch." That just says it all that they are not intimidated and will not take no for an answer so just go get it done because they then inform him when Billy Bob speaks up and says "Or else what?" They are almost dumfounded when he says that and just say back to him "Or else what? I mean, that would look pretty bad for you coach so just get it done alright?" You can see they are not a team that takes losing lightly and the pressure Billy Bob is facing with that I can only begin to imagine how extreme it must be to be the head coach of that Texas town.

What really strikes me too is the score for the film, it really hits your heart listening to it as it just sounds so beautiful listening to it that you want to go out on get the soundtrack for it as it fits perfectly with the movie.

I am by no means a huge sports fan, in fact I am not a sports fan at all. I am the guy that drifts while watching sports because I just can never connect with them the way I do with movies and that's okay, I've excepted that.

But it doesn't mean I know a good sports movie when I see one.