Why McFarland Should Be A Must See Movie For Everyone #McFarland

Why McFarland Should Be A Must See Movie For Everyone

Last November I had the opportunity to attend a blogger trip with Disney and ABC Television, on the first night of the trip we had a very special opportunity to be amongst the first to screen McFarland, USA.  At the time the movie hadn’t even released a trailer or anything yet, I sat down with my snacks and bottled water without any expectations at all.  None of us knew what to expect but we all left feeling the same way.  We all loved it, all of us inspired by how hard these guys worked and how it payed off them.  We all couldn’t wait to share it with our family and friends once it was released.  So you are probably wondering why McFarland should be a must see movie for everyone.  There’s so much great things I can say about this movie.  For starters it’s uplifting and inspiring.  If you have any kids that participate in sports or extracurricular activities this movie will be a great treat and reminder of how hard work pays off.

 

This film reminds of of all the other great sports themed movies we’ve seen in the past.  You know like Remember the Titans and We Are Marshall, but it’s so much more that sports and cross country running.  It makes you feel invested.  You feel like you want them to win, you feel like you know them.  That’s great storytelling for me.  That’s the marker of something great.  I was cheering for all these athletes during the whole movie.  I wanted to see them succeed and do what everyone thought wasn’t possible.  I’m always ready to cheer on an underdog and I loved seeing these guys didn’t give up even when the odds seem to be stacked against them. Based on the 1987 true story, “McFarland, USA” follows novice runners from McFarland, an economically challenged town in California’s farm-rich Central Valley.   Coach Jim White (Kevin Costner), a newcomer to a predominantly Latino high school moves his family to a neighborhood where they thought they couldn’t fit in and just when he thought about throwing in the towel he realized he could make a difference.

When Coach White noticed some of the students from his gym class running home from school he had an idea and decided to take a long shot.  I couldn’t imagine running the distance these young men ran daily but it was a regular part of their routine so they didn’t think anything about it at all.  They never whined or complained or nagged at all.  As an adult even I learned a lesson from seeing them work so hard.

Hard work was a very essential theme in this movie.  These kids worked hard on and off the field.  Before they started running on the cross-country theme all of them had jobs working farm lands.  Some of them went to work before school and then again after school.  Their work ethic was very high and it really helped them when they started training for their cross-country meets.  Another essential theme in this movie is family.

When the White family moved to McFarland they had no idea what to expect but soon they learned that family can come from many different sources and although they arrived alone and feeling left out, the community embraced them and showed them that they are not alone at all.  I loved seeing the togetherness and love in the movie.  It was heartwarming and the perfect reminder that love shows up in the some unusual places, like a Quinceanera.

McFarland will make you laugh, cry and cheer.  It will make remind you that hard work can pay off big time and show how family can come from different sources.  Opening in theaters on February, 20th, McFarland would make the perfect family movie, team movie or one you catch on your own.  No matter how you choose to watch it you’re going to want to see this film.

About McFarland:

Based on the 1987 true story, “McFarland, USA” follows novice runners from McFarland, an economically challenged town in California’s farm-rich Central Valley, as they give their all to build a cross-country team under the direction of Coach Jim White (Kevin Costner), a newcomer to their predominantly Latino high school. Coach White and the McFarland students have a lot to learn about each other but when White starts to realize the boys’ exceptional running ability, things begin to change. Soon something beyond their physical gifts becomes apparent—the power of family relationships, their unwavering commitment to one another and their incredible work ethic. With grit and determination, the unlikely band of runners eventually overcomes the odds to forge not only a championship cross-country team but an enduring legacy as well. Along the way, Coach White realizes that his family finally found a place to call home and both he and his team achieve their own kind of American dream.

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McFARLAND, USA is rated PG and opens in theaters everywhere on February 20th!