I often jump into a film or series after the passing of an actor, actress, or director whose work I enjoyed. With the passing of James Van Der Beek, my list was obvious. if I’m revisiting a television series, it has to be Dawson’s creek. if it’s a film, Varsity Blues. As a child of the 90’s, meaning that for the entire decade, I was in school, this film hit right during my high school years. It also landed in 1999, which is often regarded as one of the best years ever for film. It certainly was for teen movies, as it saw the launch of Varsity Blues, She’s All That, 10 Things I Hate About You, American Pie, and Cruel Intentions. That’s just five of the iconic slate. It was a great year to be a teenager with a movie theater nearby, because whether you were going for something aimed at you, or waiting for The Phantom Menace, Austin Powers, Toy Story 2, Fight Club, or The Matrix, cinema was just everything.

MTV films released Varsity blues in January, and for a film with a low budget, it certainly did pan out. director Brian Robbin’s, who had previously directed Good Burger, would take the reigns of this series dedicated to Texas football, long before Friday Night Lights was a film or series. hell, this beat Remember The Titans to the big screen. Van Der Beek’s Mox was the quarterback we all needed, and just one of a few up and coming talents in the film, which also highlighted the late Paul walker, Scott Caan, Amy smart, Ali Larter, and Jon Voight.

The film centers on a group of friends, who all play for the same team, with football star lance (Walker) being taken out early on in the movie by an injury, one that is aggravated by the fact that his Coach (Voight) pushes painkillers and forces him to work through the pain. by the time he is injured, the damage done is really set to end his promising career. Coach moves on to his backup second string QB in John Moxon, AKA Mox, who would much rather be studying than running plays.His girlfriend (Smart) doesn’t even get why he’s on the team. The ensuing film becomes about drive, commitment, and patronizing self serving bullshit coming from the coach, who sees his players as pawns. But, it also highlights a brotherhood between these friends, focuses on how these players are like Gods, and pushes toward an inspirational final speech from Mox.

Varsity Blues has to be the film that when Ali Larter goes into an audition, or a meeting, and the person she’s meeting goes “Oh, I loved you in varsity Blues.” She cringes a bit. While it is always meant as a compliment, it has a certain leering potential to it. Her character, as the girlfriend of Lance, who is not very loyal and just needs to get out of Wes Canaan, features an iconic sundae sequence, with perfectly placed whipped cream.

Scott Caan is also pretty naked in the film too, at one point seemingly totally naked except for the hat he’s holding in front of his crotch. these examples are just part of they typical high school kids gone wild formula that rolls into every generation. What varsity Blues comments on is what to do with them. The cops lament their inability to arrest any of the players, even when Caan’s Tweeter steals a cop car. Part of it is the town, and the other half is the overbearing Coach, who admonishes anyone claiming to not be able to handle his boys. Generations have played for Coach Kilmer, and if it wasn’t for this group, they still would.

This town adores the team so much, that when Mox tries to buy some regular drink, the owner actually swaps it for a six pack. He takes it of course, letting the newfound stardom wash over him. The kids also are able to go to a strip club, where they interact with one of their teachers, surprised to see some of her students there.

Some of the more serious moments come in the form of the late Ron Lester as Billy Bob, the overweight linebacker, who has been having problems of his own, and deals with the guilt of being the reason Lance got tackled, eventually leading to a scene where there’s a suggestion that Billy Bob might not make it to the end of the film, if Mox doesn’t step in. There’s also the token black receiver (Elio Swinton) laments how many yards he has versus actual touchdowns, he points out that the coach only ever calls plays to allow a white player to score. But, he has just of good as a chance of being scouted as the rest of them.

All of this comes to a head, when Mox and the team finally take over. Mox makes sure his friend gets touchdowns that matter, and the team stands up to coach Kilmer. the next 24 minutes speech is a great one, showing the parallel in priorities. Mox has already had a chance in the film to shout at his father “Playing football in West Canaan may have been the best year of YOUR life, but I don’t want your life.” And in Mox’s final speech, he echoes more about the here and now, playing the minute for the minute, and leaving it all out on the field. It isn’t about some grander plan, but doing the best they can for themselves.

The scene where the players finally stand up to coach Kilmer, preventing him from ruining another player with his painkillers, where each player refuses to play for him, is a great reversal on the Captain My captain moments. Instead of Kilmer getting his players inspired to follow him, they leave him, and he has a walk out of the locker room followed by no one.

Backed by a great soundtrack, directed for maximum entertainment, and featuring a cast full of promising bright faces, Varsity Blues has long been a favorite of mine. I didn’t watch with audio description at the time, but I’ve seen the film at least ten times, probably more like fifteen. It was all coming back to me, like a flood of memory, images and shots trapped in my mind. Varsity Blues is a foundational block for me, much like the 80’s kids had everything from Sixteen candles to Ferris Bueller’s Day off.

It wasn’t my first encounter with James van Der Beek, having already been a fan of Dawson’s creek, but it is one that has and will stick with me forever. Varsity Blues is a great 90’s film, a great teen dramady, and an absolute blast.

Fresh: 8.9/10