Dreams are wishes and hopes...but football is life.

Rating: 8/10 (8 October 2004)

Very good movie. Based on the book by H.G. Bissinger, Friday NIGHT LIGHTS tells the story of the 1988 season of the Odessa Permian Panthers. It would be almost pointless to argue against the fact that Odessa Texas is one of the hottest hotbeds of High School football. This movie deals with the fact that the Panthers year after year carry the hopes and dreams of the Odessa townsfolk on their shoulders. And the meetings with Midland Lee High School is like a world war fought in the middle of the former oil laden west Texas. The movie strays from the novel, but it is still a thrilling movie following the MOJO Panthers to the state championship game.
Billy Bob Thornton is outstanding as the legendary Odessa coach Gary Gaines. The spotlighted players are Boobie Miles(Derek Luke), Don Billingsley(Garrett Hedlund), Chris Comer(Lee Thompson Young), Brian Chavez(Jay Henderson) and Quarterback Mike Winchell played by Lucas Black, who also worked in Billy Bob's SLING BLADE(1996). Country singer Tim McGraw is very believable as a former Panther not pleased with his son's play on the current team. The lives of coaches, parents, boosters, players and 20,000 fans stuffed into Ratliff Stadium rise and fall with what takes place under the Friday night lights.
Filming took place in Odessa, Houston and Austin. Actual footage of the 2003 Permian Panthers season is interspersed into this movie that offers some very hard hitting, bone bruising, snot knocking action. You don't have to be a football fan to enjoy this soon-to-be sports classic.