A sports film with a different heart than most.

Rating: 8/10 (7 November 2008)

It's rare that a film makes it's subject one of (if not the most popular) sporting events in America and takes such a different direction than it's safer counterparts such as "Any Given Sunday", or "Remember the Titans". "Friday Night Lights" steps out from under that thumb and makes it's own path.
We can look back to sporting gems like "Raging Bull", or "This Sporting Life" - even if they are on two different ends of the spectrum, they chose a path and perspective that is rarely shown in sporting films and they did it with grace and precision. What makes a film like "Friday Night Lights" work is that all of the cast seems so adapted into their roles that we believe this is who they are, and when they have their own scenes of personal breakdown (as many do in this film) we do not think they are just actors giving a self indulgent performance or hogging screen time. These people are great at what they do, and they are directed very well throughout.
The mood is set by a score composed by Explosions In The Sky, for what is a very depressing and almost sadist film in regards to Football. It may be dreary for many to handle, which explains much distaste for the film. I've heard it called self indulgent, over directed, over acted, but when you understand what these kids and adults are going through and try to understand their perspective, it can really hit home. High School Football is their life, it is everyone in the towns life, and they don't think twice about why it is that way. It just always has been. There is no looking back, and you have to toughen up to endure what comes with that. Everyone plays the personal scenes of inevitable breakdown with grace and understanding, and those scenes make the film what it is.
Derek Luke as Boobie Miles is a standout for sure, playing his role in times of building the cliché of himself up and really acting when times get tough for himself. He rockets out of his scenes, as does (strangely enough) Tim McGraw. He plays the abusive Father of one of the High School stars, who happened to win the State Championship and was beaten by his own Father when he was a teen. He is raw and no holds barred in every one of his scenes, and was a pleasant surprise to watch. The acting from every angle is strong.
"Friday Night Lights" main downfall is that it is a sad story with no happy ending. It is hard to sell these films. Most movie-goers do not want to sit and watch a story that leaves them emotionally drained. This is not the fault of the film makers or anyone involved in the film, it is just a tendency of the public, and a matter of taste or lack of substance in preference to art.