Protraph Lack of good storyline.

Noutions Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

BallWubba Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

SimonJack Hollywood has been good in one area a couple decades into the 21st century. It has turned out some very good sports films based on true stories. "McFarland, USA" is one. The movie was made by Disney in 2015, from a screenplay that was being developed since 2004. It's based on a true story of a high school teacher, Jim White, who made championship cross-country teams in the mid-1980s at a small California high school. The town of McFarland is in the farm area of central California, north of Bakersfield. The high school is largely Hispanic.Kevin Costner heads the cast as White, and all turn in fine performances. This is a very good drama, historical and biographical film. It is peppered with small doses of humor. The production qualities are superb. As with most such films, this one has been changed from fact to fiction in places. But, it tells a good story about a coach, a town and a high school team. Some of the fictional changes including White having been fired from different teaching jobs before going to McFarland. In reality, he began there in 1964 after he graduated from Pepperdine University. White taught different classes and grades until 1980 when he began coaching. When he noticed the speed of some of the kids, he decided to start cross-country running which the school had dropped the previous year. The film is just about the boys' team, but he started both boys and girls teams, and took both of them to the Cayucos beach during the 1985 season. White had three daughters, not two as in the movie. And they were older in real life. At the time of the cross-country championships, the girls were in college. The move was a hit and apparently led to increased interest in cross- country running in schools around the country. This is a good film that should be of special interest to young teens. Here are a couple of favorite lines from the film. Cheryl White, "Fourth place? That's not too shabby. Jim, "Four out of four – also known as last."Jim White, "Tell your father I said it was an honor to be invited into his home." David Diaz, "Dad, he said it was an honor to be invited into your home." Senor Diaz, "Tell him I said 'Thanks!'"

Evan Wheatley You've seen it countless times before. A non-traditional coach takes up a team of misfits and leads it to greatness. Did I mention that it's based on a true story? Disney has presented viewers with this scenario in several movies such as "Glory Road," "Miracle" and "Remember the Titans." Despite this formula being overused and predictable, add in a great lead such as Denzel Washington, Kurt Russell or in this case Kevin Costner, and time and time again Disney will show you that it still works.Costner plays Jim White, a football coach with a bad track record in previous coaching positions. Following this incident, he and his family move to McFarland, California: a rural, impoverished and primarily Hispanic community. He starts his new job as the assistant football coach, as well as taking up the life science/PE teacher position. It is clear from the start that White does not want to live in McFarland, and will accept a better job if the opportunity arises.During PE class one day, Jim observes two Hispanic boys running laps. His daughter comments on how fast the boys run, and Jim notices the stamina that they possess. After continuing to watch them, he approaches the principal of the school requesting permission to start a cross-country team with these young men to compete in upcoming state championships.Coach White does more than simply coach a cross-country team, however. He invests in the lives of the boys and provides them with greater opportunities that would not have been possible otherwise. He also learns humility and the value of hard work from the guys on his team, who spend their mornings working in their parents' fields from the crack of dawn until they go to school.Costner does an excellent job in portraying the various struggles that Jim White endured to gain the trust of the guys on his team. Jim holds nothing back in guiding his team to excellence academically, athletically and as upstanding young men. The members of White's team, played by Carlos Pratts, Johnny Ortiz, Rafael Martinez, Sergio Avelar, Ramino Rodriguez and Hector Duran, are top notch as well.The film shows the hardships that the boys and their families faced as Latino migrant workers during this time period. The town and a majority of its families are plagued with a seemingly endless generational cycle of poverty, and their work is comprised of grueling, long hours with minimal pay. The writing by Christopher Cleveland and direction by Niki Caro adequately display this struggle. While the writing is solid, the film takes a little while to get going. The first 30 minutes of the movie leading up to White forming the cross-country team dragged on for me, however the information presented at the beginning is necessary build-up to the main plot, which is more than worth the wait. Overall, the direction by Caro is superb, and I am looking forward to seeing her future directorial work.The cinematography in the film is commendable. Most of the locations where the competitions take place include rolling hills and lush countryside in addition to a few urban areas. The enormous hills at the last location the team competes at are stunning to view from a distance, and the camera-work in the movie captures its beauty effectively.While "McFarland, USA" does not bring any original ideas to the table, the execution and effectiveness of the film is a pleasant surprise. Fans of Costner and sports movies alike will not be disappointed.

mattkratz This is one of the most engaging true stories I have ever seen. Kevin Costner plays a coach who gets fired and moves to a small town in California to coach football, and winds up forming the school's first ever cross country team. Costner was good in the role. It details his relationship with his family and the kids on the team, and inevitably how his dedication to his new job takes a toll on his family life. My favorite scenes were the practice scenes, the actual tournament scenes, the part where they see the ocean, the quicenerra scene, the part where the daughter is involved in a car accident, and the opening scene that makes him change jobs. If you are into true inspirational sports stories-this is the movie for you!*** out of ****

ironhorse_iv Set in the late 1980s, the film directed by Niko Caro, focus on the life trials of a downward spiraling career of high school football coach Jim White (Kevin Costner), whom has been fired from so many jobs, that he eventually ends up, in the only town that would hire him, McFarland, California. As his wife, Cheryl (Maria Bello) and two kids, Julie (Morgan Saylor) & Jamie (Elsie Fischer) struggles to fit into the majority low-income Hispanic neighborhood; White himself, struggles to reach the students and faculty of his new school. He eventually turns, his attention from football to cross country, because he sees some potential in some of the students; despite having no experience in the sport. Ultimately, White is able to create a team of ragtag of runners, with high school, students: Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts), Johnny Sameniego (Hector Duran), Jose Cardenas (Johnny Ortiz), Victor Puentes (Sergio Avelar), Damacio Diaz (Michael Aguero), David Diaz (Rafael Martinez) and last Danny Diaz (Ramiro Rodriguez) as they try their hardest in becoming the state champion. Centering on the concept of teamwork and cooperation. McFarland, USA is able to teach viewers on the values of solidarity, very well; not only when it comes to sports, but also when it comes to working together as a community. It also teach people, not to judge others by racial stereotypes. You see, this, with Coach White. While, he might be a little prejudiced at his Hispanic students at first; you really do see some character development from White toward the middle, despite Kevin Costner barely acting. You see him, warm up to them, and later helps the runners, run their best, realizing this is what makes them special. Yet, this movie has also invoked some groans among some critics who recognize its 'white savior' premise as tiresome and clichés. I have to somewhat agree with them, on that. The white savior rescuing people of color from their poor plight, trope has indeed been overdone to death. Still, this movie was still entertaining, even if the film's messianic portrayal of Coach Jim White leading a ragtag group of Latino cross country team from McFarland, California to the state championship is a bit predictable and safe. I just wish, the movie took more chances with the subject matter. The plot didn't seem to stand out, that much, besides the few drama with Jim White's family, but at least, they kinda made cross-country seem somewhat intense. Since the movie isn't a documentary, Hollywood did change a little bit of how the team got to championship. A good example is how Jim White even got to coach at McFarland High School. No, he wasn't fired from a number of teaching jobs prior to teaching at McFarland. Instead, he started teaching in the McFarland school district after graduating from Pepperdine University in 1964. During that time, white taught different subjects at numerous grade levels before starting his coaching career in 1980, not 1987 with cross-country. Another thing, about that, is the fact that White did not create the cross-country team at the school, but instead restarted it after it had been dropped for a year. He also taught the school's girl's cross-country team, despite only the boys' team being featured in the film. Regardless of that, all of the supporting actors playing the team members were very good in their limited role. It just some of them, really don't stand out. I really got confused on, who is who, at parts. I also believe, the movie didn't need to over-exaggerate some of them to do that. A good example is how they portrayed Danny Diaz (Ramiro Rodriguez). He wasn't overweight in real life, nor was the slower member on the team. He was in fact, one of the fastest people at McFarland High School. They portray him, a little too cartoony. Another thing, the film fails to notice, is how not all of the runners from the 1987 team were featured in the film. It would be nice to see, original runner, Luis Partida in the team, because he indeed help them, win. Despite that, David Diaz (Rafael Martinez) was a great replacement. Even if, he graduated the year before McFarland's first state title win in real life. The supporting actors that played Jim White's family was also amazing. It's nice to see that the character that Maria Bello plays is given more to do, than being a supporting wife to Costner's character. She gets her own sub-plot, with her, trying to get along with the women in her neighborhood. Even the child actors that play Jim's kids, were fine in their roles. I just wish, they were able to hired another actress to play Jim's other daughter, Tami. Her absence from this film, is a bit jarring. Yet, I can understand, why the filmmakers wanted to combined those two characters (Jamie & Tami) together. It does save time. Overall: This poignant, uplifting tale is very heart-warming and inspirational. While, it might not stand out, much compare to other Disney sport films. It's still worth checking out. I'm in it, for the long run.