12 September 11 - 17, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Senior High A new movie based on the true story of a 59-year-old college football player was filmed right here in our backyard. BY PRESTON BARTA I n a state where Friday night lights burn brighter than city skylines and football isn’t just a game but a genera- tional covenant, The Senior arrives as both love letter and battle cry to the enduring spirit of Texas gridiron culture. The film, which premiered at last year’s Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF) and hits theaters September 19, tells the re- markable true story of Mike Flynt. At age 59, Flynt returned to Sul Ross State University to complete his college football eligibility, at which point he became the oldest player in NCAA history. Shot in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, The Senior follows Flynt’s journey as he battles age, skepticism and his own demons to prove that dreams don’t have expiration dates. Michael Chiklis (of The Shield fame) leads the cast as the determined Flynt, sup- ported by Mary Stuart Masterson, James Badge Dale and newcomer Chris Becerra, who plays Fernie Acosta, a character in- spired by Flynt’s real teammates. For Becerra, a former football player making his acting debut, filming in Texas felt like discovering a second home. “The Texas dynamic was truly something extraordinary,” he says of his first experi- ence in the Lone Star State. “Everyone was so kind — it’s definitely a different vibe from me growing up and living in Southern Cali- fornia.” The authenticity of Texas football culture proved essential to the film’s emotional core. Director Rod Lurie and producer Justin Bal- doni — whose Wayfarer Studios has faced recent controversies but maintains a strong track record with faith-based content — partnered with Game Changing Films to cast real former football players as back- ground talent, creating an atmosphere that honored the sport’s sacred place in Texas. “The football guys from the area were just absolute physical studs,” Becerra says. “Seeing these guys soldier through 8 to 16 hours of filming with such high intensity en- ergy when it came to the football scenes was truly remarkable to witness.” The production utilized local venues throughout North Texas, with significant filming taking place in Haltom City. The choice to shoot on Texas soil wasn’t merely logistical; it was also cultural. In a region where high school stadiums rival profes- sional venues and entire communities orga- nize their weekends around game schedules, The Senior found its worthy home. Becerra’s own journey to the role mirrors the film’s themes of perseverance through adversity. After his college football dreams fell through due to financial constraints, he stumbled into acting through Game Chang- ing Films while scrolling Instagram. His path to landing the role of Fernie came dur- ing one of life’s most challenging moments, as he was caring for his terminally ill grand- mother. “Something told me to leave it all out on the field,” he recalls of submitting his last- minute audition. The next day brought both triumph and tragedy — he landed the role but lost his be- loved grandmother within hours. “It was one of my best days, but also one of the worst days,” he says, his voice carry- ing the weight of that September 30, 2021, memory. The film’s central relationship between Flynt and his younger teammates, particu- larly Becerra’s Fernie, captures the mentor- protégé dynamic that defines Texas football culture. “It was almost like a father-son dynamic, but also like a coach and player relation- ship,” Becerra explains. “That happens all the time in football — someone coaching you up and being a mentor.” That authenticity resonated powerfully at the film’s DIFF premiere, where audi- ences cheered during football sequences “like you’re watching a real football game,” according to Becerra. The Senior arrives at a time when Texas continues asserting itself as a major film production hub, with state incentives and world-class facilities drawing projects from Hollywood. For Becerra, who now hopes to relocate to the DFW area permanently, the experience represented more than career advancement — it was homecoming to a place he’d never been. “I really fell in love with the area and the people,” he says. “It felt like home.” In a state where football dreams die hard and second chances define character, The Senior stands as a testament to the enduring power of both, wrapped in the unmistakable spirit of Texas. ▼ EDUCATION COMEDIC RELIEF LATINO COMEDY SHOW AIMS TO RAISE MONEY FOR UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS WHO LOST FINANCIAL AID AFTER THE TEXAS DREAM ACT WAS OVERTURNED. BY SIMON PRUITT F or the last 24 years, Texas has pro- vided in-state tuition to undocu- mented students through the Texas Dream Act, which was signed into law by former Texas Gov. Rick Perry in 2001. On June 4, a lawsuit from President Donald Trump’s administration challenging the pol- icy was upheld by federal Judge Reed O’Connor, abruptly invalidating the Texas Dream Ac, The ruling jeopardizes the edu- cation of 57,000 students statewide, plus at least 197,000 students under the age of 18 ahead of their high school graduation. Dallas College is one of the most popu- lar institutions for international students in the region, with seven campuses across North Texas. Latino comic Luis Juarez re- calls taking his core classes at the Cedar Valley campus before embarking on a ca- reer in comedy. He says his time at the school inspired him to “pursue a life of learning,” and he hates the thought of young students not getting the same for- mative experience he did. “It’s a sad thing because it’s hard to think that it isn’t something that can be ra- cially motivated to deter people from going to school and learning,” Juarez says. “I feel like they fear smart workers, because smart workers organize. The last thing that the wealthy elite want is for the working class to organize, and I feel like this is just an- other part of keeping people from gaining their own power as a group.” With that in mind, Juarez decided to or- ganize a benefit comedy show at the Latino Cultural Center on Sept. 19. The show aims to raise money for “Dreamer” students who lost their scholarships, grants or financial aid as a result of the ruling. Juarez will headline a bill that includes Lilli Lopez, Jesus Castillo and CAIN, all Latin comics we recently wrote about in our cover story about the burgeoning scene of underground Spanish-language comedy. Juarez’s show is hosted and co- presented by Paulos Feerow, who runs Dallas-based comedy promotion company For The City. “It’s already tough coming into a new country,” Juarez says. “Why make it harder on those people? I feel like the most Ameri- can thing that we can do is to help the people that need our help, especially if you’re already here. To me, it feels un-American to not want to help those people. It’s supposed to be a melting pot.” If the event goes well, Juarez is consid- ering launching a “laugh it forward” collec- tive with his fellow comedy collaborators. This collective would organize regular one-off events like this to raise money and awareness for the causes that need it most. Admission to the Sept. 19 show is free, but donations will be accepted towards the fund that will go directly to the students who were impacted by the ruling. “You can’t solve everything,” Juarez says. “But this is a small thing that we can have some sort of control over.” Courtesy of Angel Studios Texas football culture takes center stage in The Senior, releasing on September 19. ▼ Culture Javier Mejia Dallas comedian Luis Juarez is headlining a comedy benefit show for DCCCD students.
