The Senior Parent Guide

In 1971, Michael Flynt (Michael Chiklis) was captain of the football team at Sul Ross State, until a fist fight led to his expulsion. Now 59 years old, Michael still regrets losing out on his senior year of football. After a college reunion, he decides to take a huge chance: he’s heading back to Texas to try out for his old team. Despite being 35 years older than any of the other players, Michael is determined not to let his age hold him back from fulfilling a lifelong dream of redoing his senior year.

The Senior is based on the true story of Michael Flynt, who really did return to college at 59 years of age, even making it on to the football team. There’s an inspirational story here, but sadly there isn’t 90 minutes’ worth of content and this film is proof of that. I think this could have been an amazing TV special, but with so much time to kill, the writers are doing anything they can to grasp at straws. Very little happens, and throughout the entire middle hour, the film just spins its wheels waiting for the finale. It’s boring - the one thing a movie should never be.

Sadly, I’m not a football fan, so the game scenes meant nothing to me, but they are well shot and edited and should grab the attention of more knowledgeable viewers. The camaraderie between the teammates is fun and there are some high stakes to the final game. I really can’t complain about the actual production values. The editing and cinematography are competent, and the performances are believable, but the script is too hollow to hold up a full-length film. Hardcore football fans might enjoy this family-friendly, inspirational underdog flick, but audiences who don’t live and die on the gridiron will find it too empty to make it worth the viewing time.

About author

Savannah Sillito

Savannah Sillito is a librarian with a master's in library science, a bachelor's degree in English, and a certificate in early childhood education. She enjoys nonfiction books, travel, and is a staunch proponent of the Oxford comma.