Warning, this blog reveals major plot points in the movie Friday Night Lights.
Friday Night Lights: a movie about dedicated athletes, adoring fans, and supportive families. Or so you’d expect. But in reality, the star quarterback repeatedly lets down his team, the fans obsess over the athletes, and the families–they only hurt their children with every action.
When the viewer first meets Boobie, the star quarterback with offers from major football colleges nationwide, they are struck with a sense that Boobie is not just talented, but dedicated and driven. When the local TV station interviews fans, each interviewee claims Boobie to be their favorite, and the best football player their town has ever seen. But when the viewer encounters Boobie in the weight room, the viewer is left more than disappointed when Boobie exclaims that he doesn’t need to lift, and his talent is “God given.” The viewer then realizes that Boobie is nothing more than an arrogant athlete, with little drive to improve his talent. Then, after Boobie tears his ACL, he refuses to acknowledge the injury and plays before he has healed, further letting down his team by increasing the state of his injury before the state championship playoffs.
While the movie opens with obsessive fans that portray a small town pride in the team, as the team moves closer to the championship playoffs, townsfolk start to pressure the team and the coaches into absolute victory. At one moment, just before the state championship, two townsmen share their good wishes to the head coach and his family, but after the men leave the coach’s daughter timidly asks if a loss would mean the family would have to move, again.
The player’s families, similar to the fans, also appear at first, to be warm and supportive. However, when the second string quarterback misses a catch in practice, his father runs onto the field to verbally abuse his son, and give an implicit threat of physical abuse out of the public eye. This trend continues throughout the movie, with the father chasing or beating his son due to the son’s decreasing skill at football. When Boobie tears his ACL and his MRI reveals the serious injury, his uncle dismisses the injury and encourages Boobie’s coach to let Boobie compete. The uncle’s action shows his support for the success of the high school team, rather than the protection of his nephew.
At first glance, the movie Friday Night Lights may present an air of dedication and strength, but underneath, all one can see is the pain and suffering at little emotional satisfaction.