Varsity Blues

Varsity Blues - "Make your own rules."

Varsity Blues is known mostly for the infamous whipped-cream scene with Ali Larter. I had to admit, it was a funny and enjoyable scene. VB was product by MTV banking on the popularity of James Van Der Beek. The story is about teens growing up in a small town where football is all important. Sounds like the beginning of a very crappy movie right? Well, the first time I watched Varsity Blues I loved it. So much in fact, I went out and bought the DVD as well.

The movie itself was shot well. I think Brian Robbins did an excellent job putting together a cohesive fast-paced movie. Sure, the storyline was predictable but what movies aren't nowadays. It's all about how you put the pieces together and Robbins has done a great job. Casting couldn't be better as Van Der Beek shed his ever-talking Dawson's Creek character and came out with what I thought a well developed character. Jon Voight was awesome as the psycho coach of the football team. Voight's character definitely reminded me of some of my stricter teachers in high school. The supporting cast was great with Amy Smart (yummy) as Van Der Beek's girlfriend. Hell, the even went to the strip club where a too-hot-to-be-a-teacher was stripping. The movie had your token black guy and your other typical characters (each played well though). So what made this movie appealing to me? The message.

In a town crazed about football it reminded me of the bigger picture and how everyone is crazy about success and not really delving into what success is. Moxon went from being a nobody to the most popular guy in town because of an injury to the star quarterback. He discovers that football isn't the end-all that everyone thinks it is. This movie takes us on the emotional journey of teens who are trying to discover that there is something more than football and that the ends do not justify the means. It reminded me of how everyone nowadays is trying to get into the best schools or get rich quickly without really thinking about what it's costing them. If Iliff was trying to get the message across, he was successful.

Well, enough with the sappy stuff. Overall this movie has it all. It's well written and well directed. The characters are funny and the stereotypes depicted are somewhat true. It's a glimpse into small town mentality and it's well worth taking your time to watch. And no, the strip club and the whipped-cream bikini were not my favorite scenes. My favorite scene was where Billy Bob was drunk, on his truck, with a shotgun, shooting his old trophies. That was hilarious. Go watch this movie and have some fun.

Dragoncrypt