A review first published in March 2015.
I headed to Penn Cinema to review “Birdman,” which had just flown off with four Oscars, including Best Picture, at the 87th Academy Awards. It will be a very short review.
“Birdman” was widely praised for its continuous-shot style and its intricate weaving of actors and dialogue through sets and scenes. I found it offensive and annoying from the outset. Between the profanity, vulgar references and nudity in the first act, it didn’t merit my time, let alone golden statuettes. I walked out.
Instead, I went to see “McFarland, USA.” I’m glad I did.
A true story
The Disney film is based on the true story of a team of Latino cross-country runners from McFarland, California, who went the distance to the state championships. Kevin Costner plays Jim White, a high school teacher and football coach whose career options shrink with each outburst.
White relocates his family to rural California in the late 1980s to coach football, only to discover his students’ talents are better suited to running than tackling. He forms the school’s first cross-country team, and the Mexican-American athletes, who work the fields with their families before and after school, begin training for their new sport.
A coach in training
Meanwhile, White needs some coaching of his own as a parent. After skipping his daughter’s 15th birthday to put the runners through their paces, he lands in the family doghouse when he forgets to bring home her cake. His wife, played by Pennsylvania native Maria Bello, and his daughters grow more distant as he logs miles on a bicycle beside his team.
The students resent White at first. He earns their respect by working in the fields alongside them, turning a ragtag group into winners. In return, the runners’ families go the extra mile to help him win back his daughter’s heart by throwing her a quinceañera.
The landscape within
Fans of lush scenery may be startled by the dusty, sun-scarred backdrop of the Central Valley. The film’s rich terrain is found in its inner landscape: coach and students, family and community, and the life that persists despite hardship, fear and failure.
The young ensemble is talented and convincing as students carrying adult responsibilities as farm laborers. White reframes their experience as “pickers” into a strength as they race against athletes from far more privileged circumstances. Carlos Pratts stands out as Thomas Valles, the team’s star runner, who struggles with a difficult relationship with his father. Johnny Ortiz, Rafael Martinez, Hector Duran, Sergio Avelar and Michael Aguero round out a team in transition.
The race scenes are well-paced and thoughtfully filmed. You care enough about these runners to root for them silently as they struggle up steep hills and wind around switchbacks.
A director’s courage
Kudos to director Niki Caro, who takes the material of real-life hardship and builds a film that defies stereotypes of Latino families and communities. She also includes a scene of the victorious team kneeling in prayer together, a rare sight in films today.
With a powerful yet understated message about the importance of cultural empathy to racial harmony, this is a family movie that merits awards, attendance and acclaim.
The verdict
See “McFarland, USA” with your family while it’s still in theaters. Show the studios that viewers will pay the price of admission for films of merit.
Don’t walk. Run to see “McFarland, USA,” and take your family with you.
Rated PG. Running time: 2 hours, 9 minutes.
For families
Rated PG, the film is suitable for most older children, with some mild language and thematic material. Parents may find it a good starting point for conversations about hard work and community.