McFarland USA

Based on a true story, Disney's latest inspirational sports drama follows a high school cross-country team in a small, impoverished, primarily Mexican-American town, focusing on the coach who changes their lives—and his own. In 1987, when hot-tempered Jim White (Kevin Costner) threw a cleat and accidentally injured a disrespectful football player in the locker room, he was fired from his job in Boise, ID. Embittered and disgraced, he knows he's hit the bottom-of-the-barrel when he accepts a position teaching science and physical education in McFarland, CA. With his wife (Maria Bello) and two daughters, White reluctantly relocates to the agricultural community, where he soon realizes just how fast and athletic the kids are, thanks to their daily dose of manual labor. Despite initial skepticism, White finds state funding to form the school's first cross-country track team, which includes gifted Thomas (Carlos Pratts) and overweight Danny (Ramiro Rodriguez). With nothing to lose and everything to gain, the squad achieves remarkable success, qualifying for the state championship. Director Niki Caro perceptively elevates this traditional underdog story, establishing a strong emotional core, while also coaxing compelling performances from the cast. And no one can top Costner (Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, Tin Cup) as the proverbial Everyman in the jock genre. Scrappy and stirring, this feel-good film is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include an “Inspiring McFarland” making-of featurette (2 min.), the music video for “Juntos” by Juanes, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are “McFarland Reflections” with star Kevin Costner and members of the real-life 1987 cross-country team (9 min.), deleted and extended scenes (8 min.), and a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a winning sports flick.] (S. Granger)