Varsity Blues, but replace the humor with drama.

Rating: 7/10 (19 April 2005)

Take Varsity Blues, replace the humor with drama and you have Friday Night Lights. In this sports flick, Billy Bob Thornton stars as the embattled football coach at Permian High School in Odessa, Texas. The film focuses on the team's run at the Texas State Championship in 1988.
Apparently, a prerequisite for American actors is to appear on screen as a coach. If you don't believe that, just look at the list. It features: Al Pacino; Gene Hackman; Nick Nolte; Denzel Washington; Walter Matthau; Jon Voight; Tom Hanks; Tom Berenger; Kurt Russell; Samuel L. Jackson; James Caan; Kevin Bacon; Keanu Reeves; John Candy; Emilo Estevez; Dennis Hopper; Danny Glover; Rodney Dangerfield; Henry Winkler; Burt Reynolds; John Goodman; Rick Moranis; Ed Harris; and James Earl Jones. Now, Thornton can add his name, and his performance should put him somewhere near the top.
This isn't the perfect movie. Some of the characters aren't fully developed throughout the film and the state tournament montage towards the end seems trivial. Permian had gone through several tough losses, but suddenly they were unbeatable and the games weren't even in question. Maybe a more dramatic look at those contests would have helped, but overall it doesn't severely damage the story.
The young actors who comprise Thornton's footballers are a serviceable bunch, the most notable being Derek Luke. Luke turned in a quality performance alongside Denzel Washington in Antwone Fisher and comes through again in Friday Night Lights.
The movie is based on H.G. Bissinger's best-selling novel, and those who have already read it will not be shocked by the way things unfold. However, those experiencing this story for the first time will be surprised. This is not your typical, cookie-cutter sports movie. That alone should set it apart from its predecessors.
For Thornton, add Friday Night Lights to his growing list of respectable movie roles. Previously, he's turned in memorable performances in films like Tombstone, Monster's Ball and Bad Santa. His new career path, however, may be as a football coach. He'll play one again this year, when a remake of The Bad News Bears is released to theaters this spring.