Friday Night Lights

REVIEW
Basically a junior version of Any Given Sunday, Berg’s based on a true high-school football story offers a team of colorful characters accented by some fine performers. Thornton plays the coach determined to bring these dedicated players to victory and the film successfully captures the pressures instilled by their families and the game itself. As far as an enjoyable sports epic the feature falls a little short, with some choppy sequences as to suugest a music video. The hand-held camera work attempts to capture realism but instead offers the occasional feeling of being at sea. However, the film's accent is on character first and the game second, which immediately sets it apart from other sports-themed films.