October 11, 2004 -- “Friday Night Lights,” a movie based on one of the greatest sports books ever written, doesn't live up to the book, but then, what movie does? It comes across as a good sports movie with ludicrous, overblown sports action, good acting, and an ending that sneaks up on you with surprising emotional power. It is a movie that touches on a lot of issues, racism, educational priorities, father-son relationships, people living vicariously through athletes, favorable treatment of athletes, and many others. That is all it does, touch on the hot-button issues. Almost none of these themes is given more than a superficial treatment.

At the center of the story is the Permian High School football team of Odessa, Texas, one of the top sports programs in the nation. The head coach, Gary Gaines, (played by Billy Bob Thornton of “The Alamo”) is under a lot of pressure. He's not just expected to have a winning season in 1988. His team is expected to win the state football championship. His star player, Boobie Miles (Derek Luke of “Biker Boyz”), is one of the best football players in the country, a tailback with size, speed, power and elusiveness. The whole Panther offense is built around this great player. The team's quarterback, Mike Winchell (Lucas Black of “Cold Mountain”), has a lot of talent too, but has no confidence in himself.

There are a number of scenes in the film which show how everybody in town is an expert on football, and they all have an earfull of advice for the coach. These scenes are very familiar to those who remember the barbershop scenes in “Hoosiers.” One of the central parts of the story is the antagonistic relationship between the team's halfback, Don Billingsley (Garrett Hedlund of “Troy”), and his father, Charles Billingsley (played by country-western singer Tim McGraw), a former state champion player himself. Another relationship, between the quarterback and his mentally unstable mother (Connie Cooper), also featured prominently in the story.

All of these key characters go through some tough times during the film. All of them have to face their fears and doubts before their final big test in the championship game. It is these relationships and trials which form the backbone of the story. Perhaps because the film is based on a true, beloved story, it does not follow the standard Hollywood formula. Because of that, it rings true. You actually do care about these characters. The end of the film is emotional.

The football action in the film is fast and furious. The problem I had with it is it looked like most of the tackles weren't legal. There was lots of spearing, helmet-to-helmet hits, hard forearm shots to the helmet, and other dangerous contact. Almost all the tackles in the film are above the waist, and most are head shots. Maybe in 1988 all of this was legal. All I know is hits like these would get you suspended and fined in the pros now. If high school players played that way, half of them would be in wheelchairs with severe spinal cord injuries by the end of the season. That is precisely why those kinds of tackles are outlawed. I guarantee one thing. You'll see more spin moves by running backs in this movie than you'll see in several years worth of college or NFL games. It must be the only move the actors could learn. There is also a lot of camera motion in some of the football scenes, making it hard to follow the action. Some action shots are out of focus.

The movie also fails to adequately address a lot of the issues it raises. For instance, Odessa, not a big city by any means, built the biggest high school football stadium in the whole nation. Is there any money at all left over for anything else in the town? Do they have enough money to run the high school? What does it do to a young man to tell him that his life is over after high school? What does it do to students when they get the clear message that winning football games is the only thing that matters? The film could have addressed at least some of these issues, but they kind of just wash by in the background while meaningless football games take up the foreground of much of the film.

Billy Bob Thornton seems perfect for the role of the coach, but that's no surprise. It is also no surprise that Derek Luke nails the role of the star player. What is surprising are the fine performances turned in by lesser-known young actors Lucas Black and Garrett Hedlund, and the outstanding performance by singer Tim McGraw. Lee Jackson also turns in a good performance as the taciturn linebacker Ivory Christian. A running gag through much of the film is Ivory's silent response to all media questions. Jackson was a college football player in Texas. There is a healthy dose of humor in the film which tends to lighten the melodrama. As I watched this movie, I didn't really feel a connection to it until the end. That's when I suddenly discovered it had gotten its hooks into me. It is very sneaky that way. This film rates a B.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in video and/or DVD format, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2004 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

Robert Roten can be reached via e-mail at .