Friday Night Lights
Seen it?2004 | 118 min | Drama
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (82% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. If you loved Richard Jewell, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 58 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG-13. Probably too much for younger kids.
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.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
82% on Rotten Tomatoes, 70 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.9 out of 10
- AwardsWeak
1 win and 1 nomination from smaller awards and festivals
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$61 million worldwide on a $30 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 361K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Peter Berg
- Billy Bob ThorntonCoach Gary Gaines
- Lucas BlackMike Winchell
- Garrett HedlundDon Billingsley
- Derek LukeBoobie Miles
- Jay HernandezBrian Chavez
- Lee JacksonIvory Christian
- Lee Thompson YoungChris Comer
- Tim McGrawCharles Billingsley
- Grover CoulsonL.V. Miles
- Connie BrittonSharon Gaines