In 1987, Jim White (Kevin Costner) and his family moved across the country to the small town of McFarland located in Central California.

McFarland was a  low-income area primarily populated by Latinos who worked on local farms. The Whites stood out at first and felt uncomfortable. White planned on coaching the football team initially, but when he saw the season heading towards defeat he came up with another idea. He decided to create a cross country track team. Over the course of the movie, Coach White and his family form a beautiful bond with the community. They all became a family.

“McFarland, USA” illustrated a coach/player dynamic like no other. Jim White understood that in order to successfully motivate his team, he had to show concern for them. In order to do this, he embraced their farming businesses, as well as orchestrated fundraisers for the team. The team’s persistence and hard work allowed them to win the championship, which broke barriers for their city and set the tone for their futures. Everybody on the team ended up attending college, which made them the first in their families to do so. They built a legacy for generations to come.

Overall, the movie was good and told a great story about a group of minorities who overcame adversity. However, the plot could have been a bit more exciting. The movie started off slow and never really picked up.