2004 Rewind: Friday Night Lights

 


Film released in 2004 are celebrating their 20th Anniversary this year. As part of a look back at films celebrating an anniversary in 2024, I'm looking at five films I liked from 2004. Today, it's Friday Night Lights.

Coach Gary Gaines: Being perfect is not about that scoreboard out there. It's not about winning. It's about you and your relationship with yourself, your family and your friends. Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didnt let them down because you told them the truth. And that truth is you did everything you could. There wasnt one more thing you could've done. Can you live in that moment as best you can, with clear eyes, and love in your heart, with joy in your heart? If you can do that gentleman - you're perfect!

Friday Night Lights
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Derek Luke, Jay Hernandez, Lucas Black, Garrett Hedlund, and Connie Britton
Director: Peter Berg
About: Mostly when we think about Friday Night Lights, we think about the television series. It debuted in 2006 and ran five seasons. It was inspired by the film, and even featured Britton in a similar role, but it came later. First, 20 years ago now, came the feature film. It was a direct adaptation of Buzz Bissinger's book, which was itself based on a true story. Here, we follow the Permian Panthers, a high school team in Texas, through a football season. It's a slice of life that shows the role and pressure of high school football in the state. It's about these players, the coach, and the town that lives and dies by what happens under the lights on Friday nights. I always loved the series, which is one of my all-time favorites, while being middling on the film. But a re-watch gave me a new appreciation for this film and its material. In fact, its style and story inform a lot of the first season of the series that I loved so much. The craft and performances here are strong. This is a better sports film than you might remember and is well worth checking out if you've never seen it.

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