3.5/5 McFarland, USA Anyone thinking Niki Caro’s tale of Jim White and his group of underprivileged Latino runners is, one, just another by-the-numbers Disney sports movie or, two, just another white savior story could be easily forgiven. First off, from The Rookie to last year’s Million Dollar Arm, Disney has gifted us with this same underdog tale in every iteration imaginable. In this case, I can make no defense. McFarland, USA is that same brand of inspirational, “based on a true story” swill. Secondly, McFarland is the second film in two months that features Kevin Costner (the white man with issues of his own) saving a racial minority. My defenses are slim on this point, as well. What I can make a stand on is how efficiently Caro’s film works. Along with accomplishing the Disney checklist of looking pretty and being inspirational, Caro also leads a group of stellar performances and injects the film with a healthy dose of cultural pride. These are traits even the most cynical critic should respect. When hot-headed coach Jim White - what a name - loses his cushy coaching job for injuring a player, he takes the only job he can find as a science techer/PE teacher/assistant football coach in McFarland, CA. The town is mostly populated by Hispanic farm workers. The teens in McFarland wake up at 4:30, pick produce, go to school, pick more produce, go to sleep, and start the whole process over again. The only way to get out of the cycle is to be thrown in jail, which conveniently sits adjacent to the high school. Needless to say, hope is an emotion felt by few. | Director: Niki Caro Starring: Kevin Costner Writer: Grant Thompson |
I know that everyone reading can connect the rest of the dots so I will not belabor it. White sees that their farm chores have honed endurance skills, he puts together a cross country team, they face challenges, they lose, they win, and everyone’s happy. Even if the post-film what-happened-next reel is inevitable, Caro more than earns her spot in the Disney-sports-film hall of fame.
She does this by making her characters and their surroundings feel as authentic and lived-in as possible. Most of the film was shot in McFarland, where she recruited a great many of first-time actors. On-location first-time actors can spell trouble, but the acting rookies prove themselves in ways that even the professionals cannot match. Even the smaller roles, such as the Diaz boys’ mom, feel meaningful and resonant. Carlos Pratts, not a first-timer, plays team captain Thomas within an inch of his life. Scenes between him and his discouraging, convict father will knock you back in a way that these sports procedurals usually shy away from.
McFarland biggest win lies in how it handles and celebrates the minority’s culture. Their ways, customs, ethics, and beliefs permeate just about every scene in a way that Costner’s last film, Black or White, barely hinted at. That film would have overcame its one-sided shortcomings with a little more of McFarland and Caro's respect.
After applauding the films cultural richness, it feels almost antithetical to end my review praising Costner’s performance. May that be, you simply cannot deny Costner contribution to McFarland’s success. The sixty-year-old actor has perfected the art of the everyman. No one does it better. It’s nearly impossible to play a white dude named Jim White who struggles with anger-management and not come across as an unsympathetic jerk. Costner, though, underplays his role, chewing no scenery. By reflecting the spotlight off of himself and onto his younger co-stars, Costner does this film a great service.
It’s too bad his on-screen wife, played by Mario Bello, was given such a one-note supporting role. It feels like an opportunity lost. Sure, there is no way McFarland could be this kind of movie and not fall into many of the genre’s preordained cliches. They are everywhere, but there are also enough singular joys to make this a movie worthy of your time. The lumps in your throat are pre-planned and expertly-placed, but Caro and her team work overtime to earn every lump. I can appreciate that.
She does this by making her characters and their surroundings feel as authentic and lived-in as possible. Most of the film was shot in McFarland, where she recruited a great many of first-time actors. On-location first-time actors can spell trouble, but the acting rookies prove themselves in ways that even the professionals cannot match. Even the smaller roles, such as the Diaz boys’ mom, feel meaningful and resonant. Carlos Pratts, not a first-timer, plays team captain Thomas within an inch of his life. Scenes between him and his discouraging, convict father will knock you back in a way that these sports procedurals usually shy away from.
McFarland biggest win lies in how it handles and celebrates the minority’s culture. Their ways, customs, ethics, and beliefs permeate just about every scene in a way that Costner’s last film, Black or White, barely hinted at. That film would have overcame its one-sided shortcomings with a little more of McFarland and Caro's respect.
After applauding the films cultural richness, it feels almost antithetical to end my review praising Costner’s performance. May that be, you simply cannot deny Costner contribution to McFarland’s success. The sixty-year-old actor has perfected the art of the everyman. No one does it better. It’s nearly impossible to play a white dude named Jim White who struggles with anger-management and not come across as an unsympathetic jerk. Costner, though, underplays his role, chewing no scenery. By reflecting the spotlight off of himself and onto his younger co-stars, Costner does this film a great service.
It’s too bad his on-screen wife, played by Mario Bello, was given such a one-note supporting role. It feels like an opportunity lost. Sure, there is no way McFarland could be this kind of movie and not fall into many of the genre’s preordained cliches. They are everywhere, but there are also enough singular joys to make this a movie worthy of your time. The lumps in your throat are pre-planned and expertly-placed, but Caro and her team work overtime to earn every lump. I can appreciate that.