Review of Friday Night Lights (2004) by Ryan T — 28 Sep 2011
The best film of 2004. It's rare that a film takes on an established genre and redefines it. FNL did that. The documentary style photography, the haunting atmospheric music, these are now tropes considered de rigeur for sports films, and to a degree, teenage drama.
This film was an influential source for that style, which is an indication of how effectively it works here. It also establishes its characters, who could have simply been defined by a single characteristic as is common in many sports films, and creates a real three dimensional people.
As someone who played sports in high school, this is as good an explanation of what it feels like, emotionally, to play sports as I could give to someone who has never done so. I love this movie. Years after watching it for the first time, it still works for me.
Highly recommended.
This review of Friday Night Lights (2004) was written by Ryan T on 28 Sep 2011.
Friday Night Lights has generally received positive reviews.
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