Football movies are usually pretty reliable sources of entertainment for any sports fan. At least for me they are. Even when the actual football scenes aren't that realistic and may be borderline cheesy ("Necessary Roughness", "The Replacements") the fact that it's still a football movie bodes well. Actually, those previous two weren't good examples because they really weren't very good flicks. Anyway...
"Friday Night Lights" was a rare combination where it involved football, based on a true story AND good game sequences. It's based on H.G. Bissinger's book of the same name which focuses on a 1988 Texas city of Odessa where football is everything. It follows the escapades of that city's high school team vying for a state championship run with new head coach Gary Gaines, played by Billy Bob Thornton.
For me, it's always fun to watch movies that took place during my high school years. This one was even better yet as it happened during my senior year. Of course I don't remember this being in the news back then but at a time when there was no internet and we
didn't live in Texas, how would I have known anyway?
The way in which "Lights" was shot is part of what makes it great. They use a documentary-style technique where it has the feel that you're watching archival footage instead of actors. It helps to lend to the credibility of the film, especially during the game scenes.
The dvd has extra bonuses where you get to see where the real people are today. Not only that, it has shots and video of what they looked like at the time this occurred. Even though Derek Luke did a marvelous job as Boobie Miles, he paled in comparison to the real version. The video footage showed Boobie looking like a men among boys with his large stature and Bo Jackson-like runs.
It never even dawned on me that "Friday Night Lights" would make a great premise for a television show. Luckily, it did to someone and it's turning out to be one of the current best shows on at the moment. It all started with the movie that's a must-see for not only sports fans but anybody that appreciates good drama.
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