The Senior was a film that I had wanted to see in the theater when its run was happening, but I just could not get it to fit into the schedule. There were too many other films in its way. So now that it is on Fandango at Home (aka Vudu), I went ahead and rented the film to watch.

The movie is the true story of 59-year old linebacker Mike Flynt, who returned to college for his senior year several decades after being kicked out of school for fighting. He tried out for the football team as well, making the cut.

The real life story is inspiring and the film does a nice job of detailing it. Mike is played by Michael Chiklis, and he does a great job in the role. He is a very easy guy to cheer for and the film plays into that desire. I actually thought Mary Stuart Masterson, who played Mike’s wife Eileen, was an even more interesting character that I would have liked to have developed more.

Now, the movie definitely shares many of the typical sport movie tropes and it does not break a lot of new ground. There are some flaws in the storytelling and some moments of the story that does not work very well. However, the comeback Mike goes through and the on field football stuff works very well and leaves you feeling inspired and entertained. A better script could have made this an even better movie though.

The Senior is authentic and worth a watch. If you enjoy a typical sports redemption tale, The Senior is a good choice for you.

3.5 stars