McFarland, USA review, plus insight from Director Niki Caro!

There's just something about sports films. Kevin Costner said it himself in an interview I did with him just two weeks ago on the press junket for McFarland, USA. He also told us that the best kinds of sports films are more about the people, and less about the sport itself. This couldn't be more true of Disney's newest film McFarland, USA. Based on a true story from 1987, this movie follows novice runners from McFarland, an economically challenged town in California’s farm-rich Central Valley, as they give their all to build a cross-country team under the direction of Coach Jim White (played by Kevin Costner), a newcomer to their predominantly Latino high school.

In McFarland, USA, Costner plays a flawed man, down on his luck thanks to a hot temper and a minor altercation with a student in his previous coaching position at a midwestern high school. He uproots his wife (played by the beautiful Maria Bello) and two daughters and moves them to McFarland, California, a rather small and poor agricultural town. Needless to say, he and his family aren't thrilled about the move and it's written all over their faces when they pull up to their new home and are greeted by a mural of a Latina woman on the wall. Their neighbor greets them in Spanish and gifts them with a free range chicken... oh, this was going to be a challenge for the White family.

Photo courtesy of Disney

When Coach White heads off to work at McFarland High School he's discouraged within the first few days and his football coaching job is cut quite short after a disagreement with the head coach. White finds himself teaching P.E. and after surveying the students he sees some hidden talents among some of them, especially the young men who "pick" in the fields with their families. They're incredibly fast with unwavering stamina and White decides to create McFarland's first cross country team. Although he meets some scrutiny from the school principal (expertly played by Valente Rodriguez), he gets it done and starts recruiting boys for the team.

The first recruit is Johnny Sameniego (played by Hector Duran). He's a light-weight football player that doesn't realize that running is a better sport for him because he just didn't have the opportunity to explore this avenue before. Coach White convinces him to recruit six other boys for the team and he starts with hot-headed Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts) who is exceptionally fast. He also adds a few of his other friends and the lovable Diaz brothers round out the team. Danny Diaz stands out from the crowd as the good-natured chubby kid, and although he gets picked on from time to time, he takes it all in stride and works so hard to train with the boys.

 Photo courtesy of Disney

The boys begin training and running each day after school, but unlike the parents you might be used to at your children's ball games, they become dismayed that sports are taking away from the time their boys are spending in the fields helping their families earn a living. Most of the boys on the team come from families of pickers that get paid per field they harvest. The more hands the better in this scenario and the boys begin helping their families before and after school from an early age. Señora Diaz is one of the first parents you meet and you won't soon forget her (Diana Maria Riva is an absolute scene-stealer). She's strict and has high standards for her boys, but you can tell their close knit family is full of respect and love. Be sure to check out my interview with the Diaz brother and Coach Jim White for more details about this.

  Photo courtesy of Disney

The film really showcases the lives of pickers, which makes up a large part of the population of McFarland, and their families and what a close-knit this community was (and still is, according to the Diaz family). Niki Caro, the director of McFarland, USA, told me during a recent interview that working on this film wasn't that unlike other projects she's done because she's figured out the way that she works best; that is with real stories and real people. She said, "Go to the real community. Ask for their collaboration. Keep my eyes and my ears open and my mouth shut, and just see how life is lived."  You can see that this is exactly what occurred in McFarland. She captures the small town feel, but also the beauty of everyday lives being lived there.

  Photo courtesy of Disney

While the plot is somewhat predictable it doesn't make the movie any less inspiring. As you might guess, after getting off to a rocky start (with lots of jokes being thrown at Coach "Blanco"), Jim White and the boys' bond strengthens as their season goes on and they learn a lot of lessons from one another while going on to win a state championship title. The chemistry between Costner and the boys is fantastic. We asked Caro what it was like working with Costner and she told us, "... he was so humble and so generous to those boys. It was very, very moving for me to watch how fatherly he was with them... I watched the movie and I know that the relationship you see on screen is totally genuine. When I called cut, he didn’t go off and get in his trailer. He was hanging out with the boys, subtly guiding them."

What makes this film extraordinary is that Costner doesn't come in to "save the day" as the strong, white male lead to rescue a bunch of Hispanic kids. Caro made it clear that this film would not be "a movie [where] Kevin Costner saves a bunch of little brown people. On the contrary... that’s a horrifying idea to all of us and to Kevin himself. The central idea of this movie is that this is not a big white guy saving brown people, but a flawed guy that is redeemed as a coach, as a father, as a human being by these kids. And by their community."  She nailed it, and that is exactly what is delivered in this film.

I would definitely recommend seeing McFarland, USA with your friends and family. It's a feel-good movie and you'll love rooting for the underdog McFarland team. You'll also love the heartwarming ending featuring a "where are they now?" moment with the real life inspirations behind the film.

McFarland, USA opens nationwide February 20th!
Check out the trailer here:

Disclosure: I was part of this interview on a press trip funded by Disney and ABC. All opinions are my own. Photos courtesy of Disney and Mama Latina Tips. Thanks!