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‘Friday Night Lights’ With Bill Simmons and Mallory Rubin
December 31, 2024 · Friday Night Lights (2004) · Action · Drama · Sport · 1:56:48 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsThe dramatic filming style with quick cuts - seemed overwhelming in 2004 but now feels normal since every movie uses similar techniques▶ 15:25
Mallory RubinThe editing and cutting style, plus the close-up documentary-style footage that puts you inside the action - feels more appropriate now with modern viewing technology▶ 15:52
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsThe coin toss and game location decision was the only time the movie really dove into the race issues from the book, unlike the book which explored it more thoroughly▶ 44:35
Mallory RubinIt's bizarre that something so consequential as where to play the game would be decided by having a conversation instead of being predetermined▶ 44:07
Best Quote
Bill SimmonsBeing perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn't let them down because you told them the truth. I want you to take a moment. I want you to look each other in the eyes. Put each other in your hearts forever. Boys, my heart is full. My heart is full.▶ 47:55
Mallory RubinBeing perfect is not about that scoreboard out there. It's not about winning. It's about you and your relationship to yourself and your family and your friends. Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn't let them down because you told them the truth. And that truth is that you did everything that you could. There wasn't one more thing that you could have done. Can you live in that moment as best you can with clear eyes and love in your heart? With joy in your heart. If you can do that, gentlemen, then you're perfect.▶ 46:47
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsConnie Britton — Discussed the lack of a heat check scene for Connie Britton, criticizing how her role was underutilized as just 'pretty wife clapping in the stands'▶ 1:05:04
Mallory RubinConnie Britton — Agreed that Connie Britton's underutilization was 'unforgivable' and 'damning' given her later TV performance, but focused on critiquing the missed opportunity rather than identifying a heat check moment▶ 1:06:02
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsCoach Gaines is a terrible coach - he abused players, made poor strategic decisions, lied to the team about Boobie's injury, didn't get proper medical care for Boobie, and had numerous other coaching failures▶ 1:07:34
Mallory RubinCoach Gaines is not actually a good coach - his coaching decisions were deranged and pathological, particularly lying to the team about Boobie being fine and his poor handling of injured players▶ 1:11:59
Overacting Award
Bill SimmonsDidn't have a pick, thought the acting was pretty good and couldn't think of anyone for overacting▶ 1:19:34
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsJames Hetfield — Discussed multiple director alternatives (Alan J. Pakula, John Abnett, Richard Linklater) and revealed James Hetfield from Metallica was considered for Don's dad role before Tim McGraw was cast▶ 1:22:33
Mallory RubinJames Hetfield — Reacted positively to the James Hetfield revelation and discussed how a Richard Linklater version would have been totally different but potentially great, comparing it to 'Everybody Wants Some'▶ 1:24:11
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsGarrett Hedlund — Peter Berg's TV series Friday Night Lights, sports movie coin tosses, horrible sports movie parents (Charlie Billingsley), and Garrett Hedlund in Country Strong▶ 1:30:02
Mallory RubinPeter Berg — Peter Berg's TV series Friday Night Lights property overall, agrees it's not apex mountain for most individuals despite being a great movie▶ 1:31:21
Hanks or Cruise
Bill SimmonsTom Cruise — Tom Hanks as Coach Gaines - says 'The answer's Hanks' and agrees with producer Craig that Cruise is too small and doesn't fit in Texas▶ 1:34:55
Mallory RubinTom Cruise — Tom Cruise as Coach Gaines - argues Cruise could handle the moments of mania and going toe-to-toe with boosters▶ 1:33:54
Is This Movie Better With
Bill SimmonsDanny Trejo — Danny Trejo as Chavez's dad - appears in a bar scene, fights two guys after someone insults the team, gets beaten near death and has emotional scene with Coach Gaines▶ 1:39:38
Mallory RubinWayne Jenkins as a dirty cop convincing a player to throw a game due to gambling debt, though also suggests him for the coin toss scene▶ 1:40:06
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsWhy didn't Don move out? Couldn't he have just lived on somebody's couch during the season instead of staying home with his abusive dad?▶ 1:42:01
Mallory RubinWhat's to stop two of the three coaches from just weighting the coins in the coin toss - there's absolutely nothing in place to prevent that outcome▶ 1:41:01
Who Won the Movie
Mallory RubinPeter Berg — Peter Berg - leads to one of the best TV shows in history, but also praised Derek Luke's Boobie performance▶ 1:48:33
Movies Referenced (32)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Ring (2002) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 22:46 |
| Sling Blade (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 26:04 |
| Den of Thieves (2018) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 34:43 |
| Any Given Sunday (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 17:49 |
| Remember the Titans (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 18:12 |
| All the Right Moves (1983) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 21:25 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 27:22 |
| Moneyball (2011) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 18:21 |
| Hereditary (2018) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 41:43 |
| Side Effects (2013) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Mallory Rubin | ▶ 2:27 |
| 8 Mile (2002) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Mallory Rubin | ▶ 4:33 |
| A League of Their Own (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 21:59 |
Directors Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Berg | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Very Bad Things | ▶ 8:12 |
| Ben Affleck | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Argo, Gone Girl, The Town | ▶ 11:46 |
| Richard Linklater | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Before Midnight | ▶ 1:22:53 |
| Alan J. Pakula | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | All the President's Men | ▶ 1:22:39 |
| Barry Levinson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Rain Man, Wag the Dog | ▶ 30:19 |
Actors Referenced (47)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Winchell | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 18 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | ▶ 16:04 | |
| Garrett Hedlund | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 31:27 | |
| Tom Hanks | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Cast Away, Big, Forrest Gump | ▶ 22:08 |
| Connie Britton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 12:44 | |
| Tim McGraw | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | Friday Night Lights, The Blind Side | ▶ 22:59 |
| Brad Leland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Deepwater Horizon, Hancock | ▶ 12:42 |
| Churton Season | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 3:15 | |
| Kyle Chandler | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | Argo, Manchester by the Sea, Super 8 | ▶ 8:39 |
| Danny Trejo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | Machete, From Dusk Till Dawn, Predators | ▶ 1:39:22 |
| Derek Luke | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 31:27 | |
| Jay Hernandez | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | Hostel, Suicide Squad | ▶ 31:27 |
| Tammy Taylor | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Mallory Rubin | ▶ 9:07 |
Writers Referenced (8)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Grazer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13 | ▶ 14:40 |
| Jason Street | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 38:40 | |
| Taylor Sheridan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Hell or High Water, Wind River | ▶ 23:35 |
| Buzz Bissinger | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Friday Night Lights | ▶ 33:56 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 34:37 | |
| Ron Shelton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | White Men Can't Jump | ▶ 21:56 |
| Roy Williams | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:27:26 | |
| Taylor Worst | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:04:58 |
Cinematographers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Grantland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | The Other Guys | ▶ 29:43 |
| Stevan Larner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Caddyshack | ▶ 46:21 |