I was born and raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Sooner or later, you find out about the game of football. What you also find out is that football, in the state of Texas, is more than just a game for many, many people around these parts. For me, it was not my early exposure to the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL that drove home this point. In actuality, it was my time that I have spent as a play-by-play that made me realize just how significant the game truly is.

Having been around, I have seen so much variety. Not just in the stadiums, whether they be modern or vintage, but in the general vibe the fans bring with them. Some venues and towns are more special than others, though I will not go into which ones, specifically.

Having said that, part of what sets the tone is the history behind each place and when I think about that, the history is what truly makes a difference in the feeling and the experience. As time has gone by, there is more and more history for all of us to dig into. So where does that leave us when it comes to high school Texas football?…

Author Jim Dent once wrote a non-fiction book about a team of orphans in the Fort Worth area that came to prominence in a surprising way. It has now been adapted into a new sports movie, “12 Mighty Orphans.” The film was directed by Ty Roberts, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Kevin Meyer and Lane Garrison (who also plays as the character of Luther in the movie). Heading the cast is Luke Wilson (“All the Bright Places”) as Rusty Russell, the head coach of the Masonic Home and School. Just as a side note, if you enjoy the spread offense, you have this man to thank for developing it. I think it should be noted that although Russell was greatly successful coaching at the high school level, he did not fair nearly as well at the collegiate level, though he certainly tried, but I digress…

Rounding out the rest of the primary cast is: Vinessa Shaw (“The Blazing World”) as Juanita Russell, Wayne Knight (“The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee”) as Frank Wynn— the antagonist of the movie, if you will, and bit of a typecast for the actor, Jake Austin Walker (“No One Lives”) as Hardy Brown— a youngster who is new to the school and stands out immediately as a special football player (and did actually play in the NFL throughout the 1950s), Jack Lofland (“Maze Runner: The Death Cure”) as Snoggs, Levi Dylan as Fairbanks, Robert Duvall (“Widows”) as Mason Hawk and Martin Sheen (“Judas and the Black Messiah”) as Doc Hall (and is also the film’s narrator).

Right off the bat, while I think almost everyone enjoys the work of Sheen as a narrator, I do not think it was really necessary for this particular movie. However, I cannot fault the filmmakers for including that little detail. After all, it is a story based on a true tale from the 1930s. I was quickly reminded of the basic story premise of movies like 1986’s “Hoosiers,” except that this is in Texas and has to be about football, right?

The aspect I found that I enjoyed the most was the dialogue, which is quick and sharp. Wilson and Sheen seem to have a good on-screen chemistry within the context of their interactions in the story. The flow of the story, as is typical these days, is fast-paced and that might explain why so much of the true story was condensed in a way that makes it inaccurate.

In fact, Coach Russell did not come around to the Masonic Home and School during the height of The Great Depression. He actually moved his family out there in the late 1920s and was there until the early ‘40s, when he transferred his coaching job to Highland Park, in Dallas, but let us move on…

I believe that most audience members are going to enjoy this film for what it is: inspirational and uplifting, but full of the expected and predictable cliches and tropes familiar to the sub-genre. The acting and production quality and writing style are its strengths and they should combine to give most people enough to feel satisfied. However…

As much as I wanted to root for this movie, I was turned off by the flawed story-telling aspects and overwhelming examples of historical inaccuracies. I realize that most movies cannot be expected to stay on cue with all aspects of a true story, but I would have appreciated a bit more authenticity. That might just be my nit-picky sports broadcaster brain doing the talking, though. I am willing to concede that much, at least. Overall, I would still say that “12 Mighty Orphans” is more of a positive experience than a negative one. I simply cannot forget my sentimental Texas high school football connections enough to not recommend this film.

Director: Ty Roberts

Screenwriters: Ty Roberts, Lane Garrison and Kevin Meyer

Based on: ‘Twelve Mighty Orphans: The Inspiring True Story of the Mighty Mites Who Ruled Texas Football,’ by Jim Dent

Starring: Luke Wilson, Vinessa Shaw, Wayne Knight, Jake Austin Walker, Jacob Lofland, Levi Dylan, Robert Duvall, Martin Sheen, Treat Williams as Amon Carter, Carlson Young as Annie, Natasha Bassett as Opal, Scott Haze as Rodney Kidd, Kelly Frye as Mary Jane, Sampley Barinaga as Chicken and Slade Monroe as Wheatie