History Film / FridayNightLights

-->'''Mike Winchell''':''"I sure don't feel seventeen."''

''Friday Night Lights'' is a 2004 film based on the book ''Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, a Dream'' by H. G. Bissinger. The film was a critical and financial success, and a television series ''Series/FridayNightLights'' followed in 2006. The film is set in Odessa, Texas, and chronicles the 1988 season of the Permian High School Panthers. The film deals with the team's importance to the town and the underlying social and economic issues the players, townspeople, and coaches all deal with on a daily basis. The film won an ESPY award for Best Sports Movie, and Entertainment Weekly places the film at #37 on its list of the Best High School Movies.

-->''"We got to lighten up. We're seventeen."''
-->''"Do you feel seventeen?"''
-->''"I sure don't feel seventeen."''

''Friday Night Lights'' is a 2004 film based on the book ''Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, a Dream'' by H. G. Bissinger. The film was a critical and financial success, and a television series 'Series/FridayNightLights'' followed in 2006. The film is set in Odessa, Texas, and chronicles the 1988 season of the Permian High School Panthers. The film deals with the team's importance to the town and the underlying social and economic issues the players, townspeople, and coaches all deal with on a daily basis. The film won an ESPY award for Best Sports Movie, and Entertainment Weekly places the film at #37 on its list of the Best High School Movies.

* AbusiveParents: Donnie's father, a washed up ex-star, violently assaults his son on at least two occasions and resent him for not being as good a player as he once was.

* BestYearsOfYourLife: Adults are quick to remind the players that their current success is the most they will ever have. Summed by one saying: "After high school, it's just babies and memories". However, the idea that their current moments are the best they'll have and all that awaits them is nostalgia and bitterness terrifies all of them deeply.

* GenreDeconstruction: After numerous feel-good sports films in the 90s and early 00s, most of which focused on underdog stories and persevering under bad circumstances, ''Friday Night Lights'' revolves around the Permian Panthers, one of the most successful high school football programs in the United States. It highlights the extreme pressure, pathetic post-high school career aspirations, and utter obsession that colors the lives of the young players, several of them visibly buckling under the ridiculous expectations that the town places on their shoulders. One player is even abused out in the open by his alcoholic father, a former star player himself who can't accept the harsh realities of life outside of football. Dillon (based on RealLife Odessa) is a DyingTown that has nothing going for it besides the Permian Panthers, and that infatuation is what ultimately leads to the team losing at the state finals. And it's all TruthInTelevision, as anyone from {{Texas}} and the rural South could attest to, especially in the withering boomtowns and oilfields that stretch all across central Texas.

* DawsonCasting: Almost all the football players were played by actors in their twenties. Derek Luke, who plays Boobie Miles, was thirty.

* GenreDeconstruction: After numerous feel-good sports films in the 90s and early 00s, most of which focused on underdog stories and persevering under bad circumstances, ''Friday Night Lights'' revolves around the Permian Panthers, one of the most successful high school football programs in the United States. It highlights the extreme pressure, pathetic post-high school career aspirations, and utter obsession that colors the lives of the young players, several of them visibly buckling under the ridiculous expectations that the town places on their shoulders. One player is even abused out in the open by his alcoholic father, a former star player himself who can't accept the harsh realities of life outside of football. Dillon (based on RealLife Odessa) is a DyingTown that has nothing going for it besides the Permian Panthers, and that infatuation is what ultimately leads to the team losing at the state finals. And it's all TruthInTelevision, as anyone from Texas and the rural South could attest to, especially in the withering boomtowns and oilfields that stretch all across central Texas.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fnl_movie2004_shrunk.jpg

* BestYearsOfYourLife: Adults are quick to remind the players that their current success is the most they will ever have. Summed by one saying: "After high school, it's just babies and memories". However the idea that their current moments are the best they'll have and all that awaits them is nostalgia and bitterness terrifies all of them deeply.
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:The Panthers lose in the state finals. ''However''... a caption at the end of the film reveals that in 1989 - one year after the film's events take place - Permian ''does'' go all the way and win the state championship.]]

* GenreDeconstruction
* JadedWashout: Donnie's father Charlie. Once a star player, he is now a violent alcoholic angry at life and himself for not living up to his potential, taking his self-hatred out on his son.

''Friday Night Lights'' is a film first released in 2004. It was a financial and critical success, and begat ''Series/FridayNightLights'': The Series in 2006. Based of the book ''Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, a Dream'', set in Odessa, Texas, it chronicals the local high school football team the Panthers. It shows just how important the team is, for both good and ill. For instance town shuts down every Friday when everyone goes to the stadium to watch the Panther's play.

Administrivia/NeedsABetterDescription.

NeedsABetterDescription.

''Friday Night Lights'' is a film first released in 2004. It was a financial and critical success, and begat ''Series/FridayNightLights'': The Series in 2006.

* TheBestYearsOfYourLife: Adults are quick to remind the players that Their current success is the most They will ever have. Summed by one saying: "After high school, it's just babies and memories". However the idea that Their current moments are the best They'll have and all that awaits Them is nostalgia and bitterness terrifies all of Them deeply.

NeedsABetterDescription

* SeriousBusiness: Deconstructed with Football. The extreme passion people in the town have for the sport is implied to make things worse for the team as it is their burden to make the town proud and most of them are fighting enough of their own battles without the pressure of a town's failed dreams on their backs.

* EverythingIsBigInTexas: ''Especially'' fanaticism over high school football.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:The Panthers don't win the state championship. ''However''... a caption at the end of the film reveals that in 1989 - one year after the film's events take place - Permian ''does'' go all the way and win the state title.]]

* AbusiveParents: Donnie's father ,a washed up ex star, violently assaults his son on at least two occasions and resent him for not being as good a player as he once was.

* Abusive Parents: Donnie's father ,a washed up ex star, violently assaults his son on at least two occasions and resent him for not being as good a player as he once was.

* SeriousBusiness: Deconstructed with Football. The extreme passion people in the town have for the sport is implied to make things worse for the team as it is their burden to make the town proud and most of them are fighting enough of their own battles without the pressure of a town's failed dreams on their backs.
* Tearjerker: Boobie's injury. In most other films, it would feel cliche and probably only be used to set up some final tension for the game. Here it is absolutely devastating to watch as he slowly realizes his dreams are gone forever (The scene where he has to clean out his locker is almost unbearable).
** The truly devastating part is that Boobie was a skilled and talented runningback who was able to carry the team through several tough patches just by getting the ball. But then he decided to disobey his doctor and suit up before he was fully healed.

Friday Night Lights is a film first released in 2004. It was a financial and critical success, and begat ''Series/FridayNightLights'': The Series in 2006.

[...]

In 2004, Friday Night Lights the movie came about. It furthered the career of Billy Bob Thornton, and showed the world that when he wants to, Tim [=McGraw=] can act. It was a financial and critical success, and begat ''Series/FridayNightLights'': The Series in 2006.

<<|Main/{{Film}}|>>

Contains examples of:

* ManlyTears: Absolutely and brutally subverted. When Boobie breaks down to his uncle, it is full on weeping with nothing even resembling stoicism.

* DawsonCasting: Almost all the football players were played by actors in Their twenties. Derek Luke, who plays Boobie Miles, was thirty.

* SeriousBusiness: Deconstructed with Football. The extreme passion people in the town have for the sport is implied to make things worse for the team as it is Their burden to make the town proud and most of Them are fighting enough of Their own battles without the pressure of a town's failed dreams on Their backs.

* ''Abusive Parents'': Donnie's father,a washed up ex star,violently assaults his son on at least two occasions and resent him for not being as good a player as he once was.
* ''JadedWashout'': Donnie's father Charlie.
* ''DawsonCasting'': Almost all the football players were played by actors in Their twenties. Derek Luke, who plays Boobie Miles, was thirty.

Abusive Parents: Donnie's father,a washed up ex star,violently assaults his son on at least two occasions and resent him for not being as good a player as he once was.

Abusive Parents: Donnie's father,a washed up ex star,violently assaults His son on at least two occasions and resent Him for not being as good a player as He once was

[...]