Score: 4.5/5
A truly great underdog story forces the audience to not only believe in the heart of a character but believe in themselves as well. The underdog has been a symbol in film for decades, and a story describing the life of one will always be a popular theme in Hollywood.
“McFarland USA,” Disney’s newest inspiring sports film, may be one to rival all past underdog stories told through the lens of film.
The movie follows a young cross country team in the small, impoverished, primarily Mexican-American town of McFarland, California, and a high school coach whose poor decisions have landed him in a seemingly dead-end job.
After an altercation with a student, Jim White played by Kevin Costner is forced to accept a job as an assistant football coach at McFarland High School where sports are an unimportant luxury.
White soon recognizes a remarkable talent for running in several of the students and forms the school’s first cross country team in 1987. Treading new ground, the coach and his exceptional team find themselves competing in the state finals where they place first.
Director Niki Caro created an honest and heartfelt film which could warm even the coldest of hearts, and even addressed some substantial social issues during the late ‘80s.
Like any Disney sports film, there are outside forces trying to dissipate the talented team, but this story might be the most realistic and impressive story to date.
The runners are sons of crop pickers, charged with helping their families by working countless hours in the hot sun before and after school. They rise with the sun, pick crops, go to school and return to the fields to pick some more. And eventually, the young athletes train by running several miles after their work is done.
Caro addressed brought to light and important issue of this time period. Many Mexican-American students were forced to relinquish their dreams to the task of putting food on the table.
“McFarland USA” also highlighted a rigorous, intense sport often forgotten or even discredited.
The primarily young cast alongside the impressive Costner sold each character with a level of sincerity not found in many films today.
Anyone interested in a sports film or simply attracted to the idea of an inspiring underdog story should take the time to see this film, because if this is left untold, it would be a great disservice to these amazing athletes.