Friday Night Lights | "Tell Me Why You Can't Hold On To The Ball" Before Kyle Chandlers Clear eyes, full hearts, cant lose line became a pop culture phenomenon, Billy Bob Thornton and his Can you live in that moment as best you can, with clear eyes and love in your heart speech represented the best pep talk from a football coach in a movie. Thorntons monologue comes during the championship game in Friday Night Lights, Peter Bergs 2004 sports drama based on H.G. Bissingers 1990 book, Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream.

Contents Football as a way of life in TexasIncredible character developmentFootball is cinematicThe movie paved the way for the TV show The film follows the 1988 Permian High School Panthers football team, the expectations for which are sky-high. Set in Odessa, Texas, the film follows Coach Gary Gaines (Thornton), who enters the season on the hot seat. If Permian misses the playoffs, he will be fired. The goal is to win the state championship. Coming in second is not an option. The stakes are high, and the pressure to deliver is on. Thats where Friday Night Lightsbegins, and 118 minutes later, it cements itself as the best football movie of the 21st century.

Related

　　Football as a way of life in Texas

In Texas, people believe in God, family, and football. In Odessa, the biggest and best show in town is the weekly football game. For a handful of Fridays every fall, the towns residents gather to watch their Permian Panthers play football. Berg does a great job of establishing Odessa on gameday from the packed stadium and bright lights to the vibrant energy and passionate fan base. If the Panthers play on Friday, the entire town is in attendance. Date night at the movies will have to wait.

The first 12 minutes establish how important football is in Permian. The team practices under the hot Texas sun as they prepare for their first game. A handful of parents, scouts, and fans watch practice from the stands because what else would they do with their time during football season? Local news stations are interviewing players and coaches like theyre in the Super Bowl, losing sight of the fact that the interviewees are predominantly teenagers and not professionals. At the end of practice, Coach Gaines says, We are in the business of protecting this town. At Permian, winning isnt everything; its the only thing.

　　Incredible character development

If the Beatles sat next to the football team at a restaurant in Odessa, people would walk up to the players before asking Paul McCartney for an autograph. The Permian players are gods in Odessa. If the team wins a state championship, the players will be immortalized in the town. Speaking of players, Friday Night Lightsfollows several sports movie tropes when filling out the roster. But thats not a bad thing. The actors bring these characters to life and give some of the best performances of their careers.

The main characters include Boobie Miles (Derek Luke), the star running back with more charisma in his pinkie than most people have in their body; Mike Winchell (Lucas Black), the quarterback with the weight of the world on his shoulders; Don Billingsley (Garrett Hedlund), the tough fullback with a drinking problem and an abusive father; Brian Chvez (Jay Hernandez), the talented safety and leader of the defense; Ivory Christian (Lee Jackson), the defensive end and quiet giant; and Chris Comer (Lee Thompson Young), the nervous running back who becomes the starter.

For these players, the games are easy. Its football a sport theyve played all of their lives. Off the field is where the challenges begin. These characters tackle an ungodly amount of pressure that would make any adult crumble, let alone teenagers. Frankly, how these players navigate obstacles makes Friday Night Lights a fascinating character study. Boobie must contemplate life without football. Mike must live up to expectations as the quarterback. Don wants to make his father proud. These emotional issues connect the players to the audience, especially non-football fans who know nothing about the sport.

　　Football is cinematic

Friday Night Lights (10/10) Movie CLIP - Agony of Defeat (2004) HD Football is inherently cinematic. Think of a football game as an action blockbuster. Its a showcase for the best athletes to show off their physical strength and immeasurable talent. The four quarters are like the acts of a movie, with each one providing a new set of problems. Each play could end with something youve never seen before. Or it might become a violent crash. Either way, youre watching. There are winners and losers. Heroes and villains. Football players experience the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

While the first two-thirds of the film feature a few moments from each game, Friday Night Lightssaves its best moments for the championship game between Permian and Dallas Carter inside the Astrodome. The game plays like a Shakespearean tragedy. Permian falls behind early on due to Carters athleticism and some help from the referees. Coach Gaines rallies his team at halftime and it mounts a comeback in the third quarter.

The game comes down to one final play, where Berg brilliantly incorporates slow-motion, crowd shots, and a moving score to make the game feel like its life or death. In the games final moments, Mike tells the offense he loves them after reading the play, I-right wiggle 34 switchblade. To some, its a play. To others, its a legacy.

　　The movie paved the way for the TV show

On its own,Friday Night Lightsis a terrific sports movie with tension, emotion, and excitement. However, the lasting legacy of the film came two years later with a television show. With the same name, Friday Night Lightsswaps Coach Gaines for Coach Taylor (Chandler) and Permian for Dillon.

The first episode of Friday Night Lights is sensational and frequently mentioned as one of the best pilots. Berg, who wrote and directed the pilot, essentially took what worked in the movie the players, the town, and the emotion and fit it into a 45-minute TV episode. The TV show also has the advantage of exploring characters and storylines over hours. Without the movie, there is no blueprint for what Friday Night Lights, the show, became. Be perfect. Win state.

Watch Friday Night Lights on Netflix or Peacock.

　　 Editors Recommendations

One of the most popular cult classic movies ever just turned 20. Heres why its still a blast 20 years ago, one of the most unsettling movies ever made divided audiences This 1994 film is one of the best action movies ever made. Heres why it still holds up This underrated sci-fi movie turns 10 this year. Heres why its still worth watching This 2008 action comedy is also one of the best Christmas movies ever. Heres why