McFarland, USA is a wonderful and inspirational film directed by Niki Caro and the newest sports movie by Walt Disney Pictures. It has been a while since Disney has put out anything similar to this film.
The premise of the film is about a new school P.E. coach deciding to make a cross-country team and decides to have most of the Latino students join because he sees so much potential and talent within themselves. No one has ever had so much faith on them so they do whatever they can to come out on top. It is not an easy task because when cultures clash, in this film it was the white culture with the staying after school participating in a sport versus having to go home and getting ready for work in the Latino culture. It caused conflict between the coach Jim White who is played by Kevin Costner and the Latino families.
The film’s location is essential because it is in California, the land of farm workers whom are usually and mostly of the Latino ethnicity. There is a lot of history regarding field workers and labor, such as the bravery of one Cesar Chavez who stood up and made one hell of a difference a long time ago. There is still a lot of work to be done but it worked for the most part, a lot was changed when it came to the subject.
The film reminded me of those times due to the fact that the kids in this film have to work with their parents in the blazing hot sun in the fields just to be able to put food on the family’s table.
Every time their kids were out there training with the coach, it was less time they were working. Their work has always been needed just to be able to feed the family and to get by. The kids also had other problems like gang life with the Latino gangsters known as cholos.
This was another attempt at a feel good movie but some think it’s just another movie where the white people save a different culture. I agree in the way it was played out but in the end it was a good heartwarming film, one that is needed to inspire other young Latinos. As a minority and as a Latino, we are told all our lives that we won’t amount to much and that we can’t. When someone believes in us, it’s a good feeling and it’s motivating enough to make us do our best and prove everyone wrong.
