Friday Night Lights
Movie, 2004, The 2000s, Set in Odessa, Texas
Friday Night Lights is #19 of 35 in release order and #19 of 35 in chronological order in the Sports Movies.
The story
A small, turbulent town in Texas obsesses over their high school football team to an unhealthy degree. When the star tailback, Boobie Miles, is seriously injured during the first game of the season, all hope is lost, and the town's dormant social problems begin to flare up. It is left to the inspiring abilities of new coach Gary Gaines to instill in the other team members -- and, by proxy, the town itself -- a sense of self-respect and honor.
Friday Night Lights recap
Friday Night Lights (2004) follows the 1988 Permian High School Panthers of Odessa, Texas, a football team carrying the hopes of an entire town. Peter Berg directs the football drama, adapted from H. G. Bissinger's 1990 nonfiction book. Coach Gary Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton) is expected to win a state title with star running back James "Boobie" Miles (Derek Luke), who brags about his college offers. Quarterback Mike Winchell (Lucas Black) cares for his ill mother, and fullback Don Billingsley (Garrett Hedlund) fumbles under the abuse of his drunk father Charles Billingsley (Tim McGraw), a former Permian champion. In the opening game Boobie tears a knee ligament in a play he should not have been in, and the town turns on Gaines, leaving for-sale signs on his lawn. Boobie hides how bad the injury is and tries to play again, but goes down within minutes, and Permian loses to Midland Lee. Friday Night Lights follows Miracle in release order and precedes Million Dollar Baby.
Friday Night Lights ending explained
Friday Night Lights ends with Permian losing the state final to Dallas Carter when Winchell is stopped just short of the goal line on the last play. A coin toss had put the Panthers into the playoffs. At the Astrodome they come back from 20 points down, and Don reconciles with his father afterward. Gaines wipes the seniors' names off his board, and closing text says Permian won the state title the next year. An NBC television series of the same name, with new characters, premiered in 2006.
Post-credits scenes
No. Friday Night Lights has no mid- or post-credits scene.
Where to watch Friday Night Lights
Friday Night Lights is streaming on Netflix in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.2/10, Rotten Tomatoes 82%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Miracle, before Million Dollar Baby.
- Chronological order: after Miracle, before Million Dollar Baby.
Cast
- Billy Bob Thornton as Coach Gary Gaines
- Lucas Black as Mike Winchell
- Garrett Hedlund as Don Billingsley
- Derek Luke as Boobie Miles
- Jay Hernandez as Brian Chavez
- Lee Jackson as Ivory Christian
- Lee Thompson Young as Chris Comer
- Tim McGraw as Charles Billingsley
- Grover Coulson as L.V. Miles
- Connie Britton as Sharon Gaines
- Connie Cooper as Mrs. Winchell
- Kasey Stevens as Flippy
Directed by Peter Berg.