Greetings again from the darkness. It’s unusual for a documentary to credit three directors, but these three have been involved with some of the best Texas-based documentaries. Sam Wainwright Douglas, David Hartstein, and Andrew Alden Miller have each worked on at least one of these: HONKY TONK HEAVEN: THE LEGEND OF THE BROKEN SPOKE (2016), TOWER (2016), FADERS UP: THE JOHN AIELLI EXPERIENCE (2024), and ALONG CAME KINKY … TEXAS JEWBOY FOR GOVERNOR (2009). This time, their collaboration gives us a history lesson on legendary football coach O.A. “Bum” Phillips.
The film opens with a stream of acclamations for Bum from a lineup of folks who would know: former opponents, former players, league coaches, and even an owner. The raving compliments in the opening and throughout the runtime are delivered by such football luminaries as Terry Bradshaw, Dan Pastorini, Earl Campbell, Jerry Jones, Wade Phillips, Wes Phillips, JJ Watt, Archie and Peyton Manning, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, Elvin Bethea, Mike Barber, Mike Renfro, Gary Kubiak, and Von Miller. Dennis Quaid serves as the narrator.
The title would lead us to believe that this is a documentary on Bum Phillips, and while he and his career are profiled, this is every bit as much about the Houston Oilers, the rabid fan base, and Bum’s influence on players and coaches, and his son and grandson. It’s clear that Nederland High School football coach Bum Phillips learned a great deal from then A&M coach Bear Bryant, and the impressive thing about Bum’s career is how he took the knowledge from Bryant and Bum’s other coaching gigs and turned it into his own style … and a successful professional coaching career.
Archival footage captures the excitement of the ‘Luv ya Blue’ period in Houston, as Bum guided the Oilers into prominence. During Bum’s tenure (1975-1980), the Oilers fans were the envy of the league as they waved their banners from a sea of blue in the Astrodome. They even had a Houston Oilers anthem (surely annoying for fans of any other team). The Oilers rivalry with the dominant Steelers is discussed, and numerous players offer insight into what it was like to play for Bum. There is even a full segment on former Longhorn and all-time Oiler great, Earl Campbell. We hear from Earl and see footage of some of his amazing runs. Bum’s famous quote about Earl, “I don’t know if he’s in a class by himself, but I do know that when the class gets together, it sure don’t take long to call the roll.” And of course, the Mike Renfro catch/non-catch is shown.
With his familiar Stetson and Texas drawl, Bum Phillips was a popular icon. Clips of interviews with his son Wade and grandson Wes, both successful NFL coaches (and each with a Super Bowl ring) demonstrate just what an influence Bum was for them … even after he retired to his ranch. While we leave this viewing understanding that Bum was an excellent coach and well-respected, we also are confident he was a class act. For a man who had nearly as many memorable quotes as Yogi Berra (although Bum’s made a bit more sense), the film leaves us with this one: “Winning is only half of it … having fun is the other half.”
Winner of the 2025 SXSW Documentary Spotlight Audience Award, the film is set to premiere in select theaters across the country on October 24, 2025, followed by a digital release on November 25
Posted by David Ferguson 
Movie Reviews from the Dark 