An excellent sports film

Rating: 9/10 (31 January 2012)

In my opinion, one of the most entertaining sports movies is Friday Night Lights. Many factors were taken into consideration when making my choice. The most important is obviously the plot as a whole. Others, such as rating, actors, and visual appeal, were also evaluated.
The rating of this film is PG-13, but is suited for all ages. Take out one scene with some sexual content and this movie is appropriate for the whole family. As with all sports movies, there are a few curse words, but that is somewhat necessary to show the raw emotion of a sport like football.
The actors make this film. Billy Bob Thornton plays the role perfectly of the Head Coach Gary Gaines. He also acted in Armageddon and Eagle Eye, but this is, by far, his best performance. To compliment Billy, they have Lucas Black. You might recognize him from Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, but that is sub-par compared to his showing in this film. He plays the quarterback and shows great leadership qualities. When Boobie gets hurt he must lead the team to the state title game. He begins as an average player, but puts the team on his back and becomes an extraordinary player.
The Visual Appeal of this movie is better than average for sports movies. Unlike the other popular football titles such as: We Are Marshall, Remember the Titans, and Varsity Blues; Friday Night Lights truly captures the spirit and emotion of football. The small town atmosphere of high school football is shown perfectly in this film. It shows the intense desire and need to win. You can actually feel the big hits and emotion while watching this film.
Lastly, the plot is outstanding. It takes you an emotional roller coaster throughout and makes you beg for more at the end of the movie. It captivates the adversity a team must go through when their star player gets injured. They must come together as a team instead of relying on one player. It shows the importance of winning in a small town and the everyday challenges football players face. If there was one complaint I had about this movie it would be the ending. To watch this team go through so many trials and tests and then blow it all at the end is a huge let down; however, this only adds to the authenticity and harsh reality of competitive sports.
Overall, this movie has it all. The film has great actors, plot, and visual appeal. It is definitely one I would recommend you purchase because you will want to watch it numerous times. It never gets old and makes a great movie everyone will enjoy, even if you aren't a sports fan. The emotion, drama, and team aspect will draw you in and leave you on the edge of your seat.