McFarland, USA

Greetings from Lithuania.

It's hard imagine anyone who would not cheer a bit after watching "McFarland, USA" (2015). This is a true story, and the movie is truly good and sometimes moving. It's inspirational story like you have seen many times actually, but it is made so well that at running time 2 h 5 min this movie never drags and is involving from start till finish.

Overall, "McFarland, USA" is sometimes routine and familiar, yet very entertaining movie. Kevin Costner is good in here, and although no Oscars will shine with this movie, it's nevertheless a very well made picture. Directing was solid - pacing of this movie is great. Music was nice, as well as cinematography. It's not very original picture, but a very fine one.

You would not think it at first glance but McFarland, USA turns out to be the site of an inspiring motion picture as well as the title for same. It's the story of a down and out high school coach played by Kevin Costner who in a last chance job takes one at a high school in the small town of McFarland, California having one of the poorest per capita incomes in the USA and made up of a mostly Chicano population who work mostly as fruit pickers. One of the first sites he sees at his new job as a Physical Education Teacher is mom picking up her three sons for their jobs as pickers after school.

But those three brothers turn out to be an integral part of the cross country running team that he creates for the school. These kids see no future other than the fields of citrus fruit to pick and really have no confidence in themselves. Once he learns the culture Costner is able to motivate those kids to achieve not only in track, but in life.

Costner and wife Maria Bello mix so well with them that they even have a Quincinera for their 15 year old daughter Morgan Saylor, a custom in Hispanic families kind of a coming out for a 15 year old daughter. The Quincinera also leads to a crisis of sorts, but it reaffirms the faith and trust that the kids and parents have developed in Costner.

McFarland,USA is a fine family film from the Disney Studios and recommended most definitely for juvenile audiences.

I would take a bullet for danny diaz, no hesitation.

"These are good kids, smart kids. They just need a chance at a better future." Jim White (Costner) is a football coach at a prestigious high school. After a halftime outburst he is fired and takes a job in McFarland high as an assistant football coach. When a disagreement strips him of that position as well he isn't sure what to do next. When he sees one of the students running he decides it's time for the school to have a cross country team. Fighting with the runners, parents and school he does his best to transform the students, the school and the community. In terms of movies there is really one sure bet. If you put Kevin Costner in a sports movie it's gonna be good. Even with those high expectations this did not disappoint. The movie is tremendously inspiring. While watching there is a way you want it to end, and you are right there training and running with them hoping for the outcome you desire. The only bad I can say about it is that I liked his other ones better, but only because I like football and baseball more than running. That in no way diminishes the greatness of this movie though. Overall, Costner proves again why he is THE choice for sports movie actors. I give this an A.

After a million years as an IMDb member I'm finally inspired to write a review. This movie is guileless and sweet in the most beautiful way. Not heavy-handed, no huge buildup over the races (in all aspects of the word), but rather huge focus on interpersonal relationships and the judgments every human makes about one another. There's also huge pride in the small working towns I've personally driven through on my way to somewhere else, and the seemingly small people whose backs we live off of. There is so much heart here. I'm surprised this is a Disney movie.

Anyway, I believe love drives us. And this is such an affirmation of the different types of love and relationships that can push us in the best ways and help us achieve greatness. I'm so deeply pleased to have seen this film. Every one of us has a moment or period when we are down for the count. We don't always handle it with grace. That doesn't mean we are without grace.