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Friday Night Lights

Friday Night Lights

Drama · 2004

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.

Movie details

Friday Night Lights

“Hope comes alive on Friday nights.”

2004 Drama 1h 58m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.9 / 10

Community rating

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.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Friday Night Lights?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Where it lives

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Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.

Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Peter Berg

Written by

David Aaron Cohen · Peter Berg

Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton

Coach Gary Gaines

Lucas Black

Lucas Black

Mike Winchell

Garrett Hedlund

Garrett Hedlund

Don Billingsley

Derek Luke

Derek Luke

Boobie Miles

Jay Hernandez

Jay Hernandez

Brian Chavez

L

Lee Jackson

Ivory Christian

Lee Thompson Young

Lee Thompson Young

Chris Comer

Court is in session

Put Friday Night Lights on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.