Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
Michael Chiklis trades in superhero movies for a faith based football film. He plays Mike Flynt, a 59 year old man who lives with regrets about his college football career. He finds out that he has one year of playing eligibility left since he was kicked out before his senior season. Mike decides to chase his dream of playing one more time, having to complete his degree in the process. He enters the team at the age of the player’s fathers, casting doubt and concern about his ability to endure the physicality. But Mike’s positive demeanor and driven spirit might be the spark this team needs. It is a film about faith, family, and football, while reminding us to never give up on our dreams.
Positives:
I have been interested in this one since first hearing about it. I’m happy to say that “The Senior” is an old school sports drama with a winning formula! In fact, it might be Angel Studios best film to date. The premise is easy to get invested in, combining a story about fulfilling one’s dreams while overcoming past struggles. The film showcases complicated family dynamics, highlighting generational trauma and the effect it has on father-son relationships. Our characters feel vulnerable, tapping into their past and how they would all be better off if people could simply apologize for their mistakes. This connects us to them further, whether it be Mike’s son wanting an apology from his father or Mike’s desire to fulfill his lifelong goal of finishing his football career. The material is relatable and poignant, making it easy for both children and adults to get invested in.
Michael Chiklis is the standout of the film. He delivers a passionate performance that ranges from being angry about his shortcomings to inspiring other young players to be the best version of themselves. His standout moment was the spirited speech to his team during the final game. He won’t get the credit he deserves but his performance was excellent. The rest of the cast does nice work too, especially Mary Stuart Masterson as Mike’s wife. She holds him accountable with the safety concerns and responsibilities to his family while backing him every step of the way. The film’s script is also stronger than recent Angel Studios productions. This is especially true when Mike is fighting for his chance to play. He also has some nice dialogue exchanges with his wife, son, and other players on the team. The film isn’t flashy or striving to be an arthouse extravaganza. It simply wants to tell a story about mending wounds and pushing oneself to fulfil their dreams. It does that wonderfully!
Negatives:
Any drawbacks “The Senior” illustrates would be those within the faith based category. The story relies on cliches, rarely surprising in its execution. It plays out how one would expect, going through the peaks and valleys of a journey like this. The film gets off to a bumpy start at the beginning, featuring some wonky dialogue and a rushed summary of Mike’s situation in life. But once it finds its footing it gets better and better. Will the movie surprise anyone? Probably not. But it delivers enough of the payoff and feel good moments audiences want to see.
Conclusion:
“The Senior” is the best sports movie I’ve seen in some time. It delivers a story that audiences will connect with, combining sports with drama nicely. Michael Chiklis delivers a fantastic performance as Mike Flynt, highlighting his inspiring journey from beginning to end. The story isn’t doing anything original but it certainly accomplished its goal. Audiences will have a great time enjoying this one, whether it be getting invested in the football or Mike’s personal journey. You don’t need to be a faith based audience member to enjoy the film, so I’d say audiences of all ages should get out and support a great sports drama!
