The Senior Review:
It is said that you learn more from your failures than your successes, but what if you have few victories to celebrate and many regrets to ponder over? And what if a second chance comes a little too late in your life and with a big asterisk? Will you take the gamble of potentially losing your life, career, and loved ones to erase that one big regret? Or will you choose them, while sacrificing what you have always wanted to do in life?
Director Rod Lurie's The Senior is a by-the-numbers sports film based on the real story of 59-year-old Mike Flynt, who returns to his college football team decades after a bad tantrum forced him out of the educational institution and his team. While it treads all the familiar beats of an underdog sports film and resorts to some melodrama on occasion, The Senior works because the cast infuses their characters with much life and vigour, especially Michael Chiklis in the titular role.
For Mike Flynt, American football means more than his life. Even as Flynt decides to come back to his football team, his health condition means that he is a few blows away from lifelong paralysis. However, he accepts this physical risk not because he seeks glory but because he needs a legacy he can reflect on with gratitude and pride.
Director: Rod Lurie
Cast: Michael Chiklis, Mary Stuart Masterson, Brandon Flynn, James Badge Dale
Streamer: Prime Video
It is this simple idea that drives The Senior, but thankfully, the film pays as much focus on the relationship dynamics between the protagonist and his family as on the sports portions. This makes the film enjoyable and meaningful. However, on the flip side, it reduces the time devoted to the dynamics between the football team members and makes the film's sports arc rather familiar. For example, when Flynt's coach Rob Corddry treats him with respect and dignity early on, in contrast to the condescension from some of his teammates, you could tell that he is going to have his big moments later. However, Chiklis and the rest of the cast perform with such sincerity and conviction that you cannot help falling for the message-heavy moments, too. The performances partly explain why the dialogue could eschew the cliche of cinematic 'sports talk,' and why it feels just as authentic as the raw, sideline conversations between athletes and coaches on live television.
The Senior also makes a compelling point about parenthood, especially the tendency of fathers trying to inculcate an interest in sports in their sons. This coming-of-age angle, told in parallel between two generations, works beautifully, with Chiklis channelling his intensity and vulnerability to a profound effect. Further, it feels appropriate that the ending delivers a small, intimate win instead of a resounding success. It underscores the film's core message about minor victories often proving more valuable for some. At about 100 minutes, the film zips through and does not overstay its welcome either.