REVIEW: McFarland, USA

Courtesy of Disney

Kevin Costner must have rediscovered his passion for acting. Either that, or he’s got a giant mortgage to pay. Those are the two most plausible explanations for why he’s been in so many movies lately. After working on one project a year for almost a decade, the actor appeared in a jaw-dropping four movies in 2014.

I’m not complaining. Costner has always been one of my favorites, even when he became a punchline in the 1990s for starring in a string of high-profile, unsuccessful films. (No, Waterworld doesn’t work. But I still maintain that The Postman is a darn good flick.) I particularly enjoy his work in sports-related fare, whether it’s the classics like Bull Durham and Field of Dreams, or lesser-known dramas like Draft Day.

So it’s no surprise that I was charmed by McFarland, USA a feel-good Disney drama about an underdog cross-country team. It’s a version of a story you’ve seen a million times, and you can see every narrative turn coming from a mile away. But that doesn’t mean the film isn’t effective. Sometimes you just want to see solid genre material executed in a confident way. Thanks to Costner’s heartfelt performance, a compelling supporting cast and strong direction from Niki Caro, even a cranky, jaded critic like me found himself wiping his eyes quite a few times.

Inspired by a true story (aren’t they all?), the film introduces viewers to Jim White (Costner), a high school football coach who finds himself out of a job after disciplining a stuck-up, rich kid quarterback. After the fallout, his only option is working at a small school in McFarland, Calif., an economically-challenged, predominantly Latino town where the students spend their non-school hours picking fruits and vegetables with their parents.

It’s not exactly the kind of place where kids are encouraged to go to college or set lofty goals. However, that slowly changes when White learns that several of his students possess exceptional running ability. After convincing the school’s weary principal that he has the experience to start a cross-country program, White and his team quickly learn how out of their element they are.

At first, it seems like apathy and frustration might derail the team before they even establish a bond. But thanks to a renewed relationship with the close-knit community, White, his wife (Maria Bello) and his daughters (Morgan Saylor and Elsie Fisher), gain a deeper understanding of life in McFarland, putting his team and their endeavors into greater perspective.

Costner, at this point in his career, could sleepwalk through this role and nobody would say anything. (Honestly, he’s done that a few times before.) Fortunately, he didn’t decide to go that route with McFarland, USA. He injects his famous heartland charisma into the character, portraying Jim White as someone who loves his family and his job, but struggles to find the right balance between them.

He depicts the character’s change in perspective wonderfully. He realizes there’s a whole world out there beyond his comfort zone, and – what’s more – it’s even better than the one he thought he wanted. Even the “big speech” he delivers at the end of the movie feels authentic and earned. There’s not much to it beyond the typical “you’re warriors, you’ve earned this, give it your all, etc.,” but he makes each statement seem brand new, rather than another tired platitude.

Carlos Pratts is also good as Thomas, the team captain with a troubled home life. Again, not exactly a brand new character, but he sells every scene, convincing the audience that his relationship with White, one of mutual respect, is authentic and hard-earned. Diana Maria Riva, who plays the strong-willed mother of three kids on the team, steals every scene she’s in.

Unfortunately, not every actor gets a chance to shine. Bello, a stellar actress, is basically tasked with frowning at White when his priorities get out of whack, and then beaming with pride when he finally gets his head on straight. But that’s the screenplay’s fault, not hers. She still plays the heck out of the material she’s given.

The screenplay (credited to Christopher Cleveland, Bettina Gilois and Grant Thompson), despite sidelining Bello’s character, still gets a lot right. I particularly appreciate its deft navigation of the story’s many cultural minefields. It’s especially surprising, considering this is a mainstream sports drama, that it avoids making the story about a white savior who swoops into the troubled lives of minority kids so he can teach them how to follow their dreams.

Quite the opposite, White ends up learning more from his team than he teaches them, particularly when it comes to assumptions and stereotypes. Costner’s character is frequently the target of good-spirited cultural jokes (he’s called Coach Blanco almost immediately), and his preconceived notions often land him in embarrassing situations with his neighbors.

The movie frequently looks gorgeous. Costa’s direction, combined with cinematography from Adam Arkapew and Terry Stacy, results in beautiful shots of McFarland. There are also several stunning views of mountain vistas and the ocean when the team travels to its various meets.

All told, McFarland, USA is a welcome example of how to make a sports drama without relying on tired clichés. True, the genre still has its unavoidable tropes, but Costner, Costa and the rest of the cast and crew prove you don’t have to be lazy or cynical about it.

McFarland, USA is rated PG for thematic material, some violence and language.

Grade: B+