Review of Friday Night Lights (2004) by Matt S — 23 Mar 2011

Only star Billy Bob Thornton's hair is fake in director Peter Berg's excellent adaptation of H.G. Bissinger's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1990 book Friday Night Lights. Thornton digs into one of his best roles as Gary Gaines, the real life coach of the Permian Panthers high school football team in Odessa, Texas. He doesn't even need to use his trademark potty mouth, the worst you hear from him is 'Good gracious!', even when his team loses their running back, Boobie Miles (Derek Luke), to injury. Thornton wears his part like a second skin, delivering his most moving and emotional performance to date. Ditto the movie, which goes right for the throat. Friday Night Lights chronicles the team's 1988 season, and Berg expertly takes us deep into the action, making the bone-crunching football drama palpable.

If there's one flaw in this thrilling sports movie, it's that Berg doesn't get into the heads of the characters, which Bissinger's book did eloquently. That's done to full effect in the NBC television series starring Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton, one of tv's best shows. Quarterback Mike Winchell (Lucas Black), tight end Brian Chavez (Jay Hernandez) and running back Chris Comer (Lee Thompson Young) are little more than sketches of characters. Garrett Hedlund leaves the most indelible impressions as tailback Don Billingsley, largely because Berg wisely details his relationship with his abusive father, played by country superstar Tim McGraw, who has real acting chops. 'After football, it's just babies and memories' father tells son. As thrilling as Friday Night Lights is, it lacks a real personal touch. Otherwise, it's excellent.