3/4  Varsity Blues Quick Review
Sports films typically follow two paths: the comedic underdogs or the serious-enough-to-make-grown-men cry route. Varsity Blues actually does a better job than most of combining the two elements.

3/5 Great Movie, Disappointing Blu-Ray
  by R. Alexander (St Louis, MO USA)
Varsity Blues is a Great movie. You will totally enjoy it. If, however, you already own it on DVD, you might be disappointed in the Blu-Ray version. It is not as sharp as others I have seen and actually looks grainy up close.

4/5 Play to win... at life.
  by G. E. Williams (California)
I have avoided Varsity Blues all the years since it came out. I had no desire to see a film directed at High Schooler's, made by MTV. Finally, this week I watched it and was very surprised at how much I liked it.

First of all, of course anyone who played high school or college sports will be able to relate to the love hate relationship with sports. And most will relate at some level with the evil coach played to a caricature "T" by Jon Voight. Now I never had a coach as evil as Kilmer, but there were a few that really disrespected me, and a few to whom winning was a bit too important, and also a few who's favoritism really hurt the program, so I can relate.

Varsity Blues was a stereotypical teen flick in some ways, it could have minimized the sex and drugs and alcohol, but overall, Varsity Blues gets to the message of the game should be played with joy and by doing so the memories of your glory days will be pleasant instead of the time you can't move beyond. Although it ended a bit on a confusing note, with a voice over by the protagonist "Mox" about how "that was the last game that I ever played", when in fact they won and should have gone on to some play-off since they were undefeated. But that's a quibble, maybe without a head coach they were disqualified?

So here's the deal,
Varsity Blues is not a bad movie at all if you can look over the sex& drugs. A pretty good look at the up-side and the down-side to high school sports from multiple viewpoints.

3 ½*



5/5 Absolutely great sports movie, but what's up with Moxon?
  by Jason (Backwater, Alabama)
The brief synopsis: In West Canaan, Texas, football is life. The entire city revolves around the religion of football. The team is led by big-man-on-campus Lance Harbor (Paul Walker). Along with the typical cast of zany teammates, a maniacal, championship coach named Bud Kilmer (Jon Voigt - awesome in this role), and the backup QB, Jonathan Moxon (Van Der Beek), the team faces and overcomes difficulties. Team pulls out improbable, far-fetched play to triumph in the end. Tons of exciting and believable football action sequences. There has always been something about the movie that troubled me, however - aside from the improbability of finding a football helmet that would fit Dawson's coconut - Jonathan Moxon's character.

Mox never studies, yet he's rumored to be in the running for an academic scholarship to an Ivy League University (Brown). When Harbor goes down early in the season, Mox must step up and be a hero. With scholarship dreams dancing in his head, Mox had put all of his eggs in one basket. The only problem is his complete nonchalance and inattentiveness to his studies also leaks into his football. Despite these deficiencies, he becomes an overnight superstar. He gets free beer after the game, but it's not a big deal. Everything up until this point in the movie is fishy, and THIS is where I figured out what was going on.

No real controversy to get beer. Hmm. Doesn't study school books or play books. Hmm. Mox has failed over ten times; he's in his late twenties, been in high school for years, and his receding hairline finally gave him away.

The reason he didn't need to read the playbook is because he memorized the plays. Kilmer has been using the same plays for each of Dawson's last 8 years as a backup! It appears that Kilmer is frustrated that Mox doesn't read the playbook or pay attention during games, but it's actually because he's sick of seeing Mox on the sidelines. If he is going to stick around that long, he may as well be an assistant coach.

Why doesn't he study in the classroom? He's auditing the courses! He's essentially the white Radio, going to class even when it doesn't matter. He's been applying to Brown for years! That's why it's so important to him. He wants to FINALLY move out of his parents' house.

In the middle of the movie, he turns down Ali Larter (who should be a megastar because of this scene alone) in a whipped cream bikini. No way a teenage boy turns that down. No way. Why does Moxon? Two words: statutory rape. Why is he with Amy Smart? Because he knows she's the goody-two-shoes, and there is no risk (i.e. no breasts). How do the guys get into the strip club, let alone get a free ride? It's on Moxon's credit card; he opened a tab!

It all adds up folks. It doesn't get in the way of making this one of the more imminently rewatchable sports movies of all time, but it definitely adds something to the viewing pleasure. Even on late-night TV, this is always a must watch - a TEN! - if only to prove my theory once again.

3/5 2.5 stars out of 4
  by One-Line Film Reviews (Easton, MD)
The Bottom Line:

A forgettable film lifted above scores of similar teen and sports movies only by the hard-R nature of its dialogue and nudity, Varsity Blues can boast a likable James Van Der Beek, a few amusing scenes, and little else.

2/5 Dawson with a football and accent.
  by ADRIENNE MILLER (TENNESSEE)
Varsity Blues starring James Van Der Beek is a pretty lame and vile film. Van Der Beek's acting sounds and looks so fake, don't even get me started with that southern accent he tries to pull off, ugh! Amy Smart and Paul Walker are great and make this film not so unbearable. I am sure a lot of guys like this film for that whipped cream bikni scene with Ali Larter. The dialogue is unforgivable, the movie plays good songs though.