Zach Bryan enlisted Matthew McConaughey for the cinematic video for his song, "Nine Ball," released on Feb. 5. Filmed at Sagebrush bar in Austin, Texas, the video finds the Academy Award-winning actor perfectly portraying an alcohol dependent, gambling father who uses his son's adept pool skills to earn some extra money.
McConaughey is believable as this character, with his gold chains, slicked back hair, and a complexion that becomes sweaty and worn throughout the story. Bryan's voice tells the story of "Nine Ball" as McConaughey struts through the bar, orders a stiff drink and begins making his bets. The video follows the father and son through at least a decade of the same routine. Towards the beginning, his son is a child and McConaughey shows him the ropes of pool. That child soon turns into a young teenager who easily wins against adults in pool. Meanwhile, McConaughey is seen making bets with the same man, played by Scott Shepherd.
Soon, the son is an older teenager verging on adulthood, and he begins to tire of his father's reckless gambling ways. At one point, the son meets eyes with the character played by Shepherd. During his next game, he loses — possibly on purpose. As McConaughey's disappointment begins to show, Shepherd's character and another unnamed man corner McConaughey, and a brawl ensues.
The son seems to come to his father's rescue, but appears to throw the final punch instead. McConaughey simply looks up at his son with a smile, and they walk out together. As the two reach the door, the video shows McConaughey carrying the child version of his son out of the bar — something he probably should have done years ago.
The video not only brings together one of country's fastest rising stars with one of cinema's modern legends, but it reunites McConaughey with actor Tye Sheridan, who plays the oldest version of the son. The two starred together in the 2012 film, "Mud."
"Nine Ball" was written solely by Bryan and appears on the singer's 2023 EP, Boys of Faith. The "Nine Ball" video was directed by Matthew Dillon Cohen.
