VARSITY BLUES

US, 1999, 106 minutes, Colour.
James Van der Veek, Amy Smart, John Voight, Paul Walker, Ron Lester, Scott Caan.
Directed by Brian Robbins.

Varsity Blues is a Texas football movie, focusing on a lot of play in a competition in a high school context. The film focuses on a football hero, played by Paul Walker (who was to go on to star roles in The Fast and the Furious and other action films). After his injury, he is replaced by James Van der Beek (Dawson’s Creek) who proves a success – from a pious family, he then is tempted to a rather wilder life but eventually confronts the coach and leads his team to victory. The strength of the film is in the portrayal of the coach, a veteran of thirty years who is unscrupulous in his desire to win titles, even injecting players with drugs for them to overcome the pain of their football injuries. He is played with intensity by John Voight.

The film was directed by Brian Robbins (The Perfect Score and other very popular youth-oriented entertainments). The film is raucous in its presentation of the wilder aspects of the Texas young men, a teacher who dances pole-dancing, drinking. There are some crass scenes including vomiting. This ingredient seems to be requisite for this kind of film in those years. However, it has its focus on family values, integrity, especially in sport.

1. A popular film of American football? For non-American audiences?

2. The Texas setting, the town, homes, schools? The playing fields? Nightclubs? The musical score?

3. The title, the focus on the footballers, football scholarships and their future?

4. The high school setting, classes, the teacher and the sex education and the farcical aspects, the irony of her being a pole dancer? Secrecy?

5. Jack and his family, the voice-over and explanation, his relationship with his parents, his younger brother and his experimentation with different religions, tied to a cross, with Jewish garb, Muslim interests? His role at school, his being under the shadow of Lance, his opportunity? His friendship, especially with Billy Bob and his crass eating and being sick? Billy Bob playing, injury? Jack and his being able to help Billy Bob to go to the doctor? His father and his reputation, the Harber family, the picnic and the sons throwing the ball to hit their fathers? His father’s reputation with the coach? His success in play, his girlfriend, the girl trying to seduce him – and her listening to her and giving her good advice? The drinking, the getting together, the possibility of his going off the tracks? His girlfriend talking in a straight manner to him?

6. Lance, the hero, his reputation, the girls all swooning, the coach relying on him, getting the injections? His scholarship, his family pride, his father? The coach using him? His injury? His background, with the girls? His supporting Jonathan? Especially in the confrontation with the coach?

7. The other players, Billy Bob, his eating, vulgarity, reliance on Jonathan? Charlie, his brashness, with the girls, naked…? Their supporting Jonathan?

8. The portrait of Coach Kilmer, his intense speeches, thirty years of coaching, his reputation in the town? Wanting to win at all costs? Talking to his players? The injections and their being secret? Lance’s injury, his blaming Billy Bob? His later despising him? Using Jonathan, disliking him? Jonathan’s success and Kilmer’s reaction? The young men and their troubles, especially with the police, the police talking – and the coach’s intervention, that they were just kids? The final, his wanting to win, their not playing well, the injections and their trying to persuade the player not to have injections, the speech against the coach, his walking out isolated?

9. The team, Jonathan’s leadership, the support, Billy Bob and the tactic? Victory?

10. The film and family values, pressure of parents and expectations, coaches and the intensity of football as a way of life?