Sasaki Time's Blu-Ray Review for McFarland, USA

McFarland, USA is another in the long line of inspiring sports films to come from Disney. I have seen every sports film that Disney has made and will continue to do so. I love watching inspiring true stories of the underdog coming out on top. How does McFarland, USA stack up to the likes of Cool Runnings and The Rookie? Let's find out.

The movie stars Kevin Costner as Jim White, a coach whose shortcomings have led him to one final shot at both teaching and coaching. His last incident has taken Coach White and his family to the small rural community of McFarland, California. This is a poor farming community where the future is bleak. The town and it's people have given up hope and struggle through each day.

After an incident at McFarland High, Coach White finds himself not coaching and running out of options. After watching his P.E. class he notices that he has several fast runners and has the wild idea of starting a cross country team.

His cross country team is made up of seven young boys who lack discipline and respect for one another. Slowly, the team comes together and Coach White even takes it upon himself to see what a day out on the field with some of these boys means. This opens his eyes to the struggles that not only these boys but the entire community are going through. Coach White begins to embrace all that is around him and the community begins to embrace him as well.

All the time Coach White is spending building his team, he is also spending less and less time with his family. But as his eyes open to his team and community, his eyes also open up to taking care of his family. He begins to repair the damage he has caused.

The McFarland cross country team is now the most watched cross country team in the state. All appears to be going in the right direction for Coach White, his family and the entire community until a fateful accident happens that threatens the safety of his family. This accident makes Coach White start to think if there are better opportunities out there for not himself but for his family.

During this the McFarland team makes it to the first ever state finals. The team realizes that their coach may leave after this race. What will happen?


Video Quality

The 1080 AVC/MPEG-4 encoded video is another perfect video transfer that we have come to expect from Disney. The details from faces to clothes are sharp and crisp. Colors just pop and are bright and vibrant.

Audio Quality

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is a little less perfect. While the dialogue and the music is crystal clear the audio mix doesn't take advantage of the surround sound leaving the majority of the audio to the center channel.

Bonus Material

McFarland Reflections: My favorite and most substantial of the bonus material. You get interviews with the cast and crew along with the real life people that the movie is based on.

"Juntos" Music Video

Inspiring McFarland: Interviews with the crew and some of the cast discussing the movie's story.

Deleted & Extended Scenes: A collection of scenes that help round out Bello's character as well as some of the runners.


Closing Thoughts

Another great sports film from Disney. The underdog strives through adversity to come out on top. Fantastic performances from not only Costner but the entire cast. Some decent bonus material round out a stellar visual blu-ray. This film will not only warm your heart but convince you that the American Dream is for everyone.

Movie Review: McFarland, USA - A Moving Story about The American Dream

McFarland, USA is another in a long line of sports themed movies to come from Disney. Disney has such an amazing track record when it comes to sports movies that I will gladly watch every sports themed movie they release. From Cool Runnings to Remember The Titans, Disney keeps bringing wonderful true stories to the silver screen. Will McFarland, USA continue this great tradition of Disney sports themed movies?

Based on a true story, McFarland, USA tells the story of Coach Jim White and how his shortcomings lead him and his family to his final shot at not only teaching but coaching as well. Coach White and his family end up in the small farming community of McFarland in Central California, a town made up of poor, mostly Hispanic laborers and their families. A community that has pretty much give up hope on itself and the people that live there.

After an on-field disagreement with the McFarland High School football coach, Coach White finds himself off the football team and his back literally up against the wall. As the P.E. Teacher he notices that several of his students are fairly fast runners. Coach White thinks that he can start a cross country running team though he himself has no background in the sport.

Jim puts together a ragtag team of seven young boys who lack discipline and respect for one another. Slowly, Coach White puts the team together and opens his mind to what these young boys are going through. They come from homes where they are laborers and work long hours besides going to school and training for the cross country team. One fateful night, Jim saves the life of Thomas, one of his most troubled students.

Coach White even goes out to the field with three of his runners, the Diaz brothers, and sees first hand how difficult a job it is to harvest the fields and then still go to school and to train for the team. Jim is finally opening his eyes to the people around him. The community embraces him and his family.

The team begins to grow closer to one another and they begin to win. They are now the most watched cross country team in the state.

Despite all of the success of the cross country team, Jim finds himself not spending as much time with his family. He even forgets to pick up the cake for his daughter Julie's 15th birthday. Along the way Jim learns about what a quinceanera is and arranges this coming of age party for his daughter and the community comes out to celebrate.

That night Julie is involved in an accident that changes Jim's mind about the community and thinks about something better for himself and his family.

Meanwhile the team makes it to the State Finals. All the while the team believes that their coach is leaving after this race no matter the outcome. What will happen?

Fantastic performances from Kevin Costner and all the boys on the cross country team. This story is about Jim finding himself. This is a story about family and community. This is a story about the American Dream.

McFarland, USA is in theatres now.

Disney's McFarland, USA New Featurette

Disney's "McFarland, USA" comes to theaters February 20, 2015!

Inspired by 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.

Disney’s “McFarland, USA” stars Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Morgan Saylor, Martha Higareda, Michael Aguero, Sergio Avelar, Hector Duran, Rafael Martinez, Johnny Ortiz, Carlos Pratts, Ramiro Rodriguez, Danny Mora,Valente Rodriguez, Vanessa Martinez and Chris Ellis and is directed by Niki Caro with screenplay by Christopher Cleveland & Bettina Gilois and Grant Thompson, and story by Cleveland & Gilois. 

Gordon Gray and Mark Ciardi are producing, with Mario Iscovich and Mary Martin serving as executive producers.

Photos from the World Premiere of McFarland, USA!

Images from last night's World Premiere of MCFARLAND, USA at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood! The event featured a special performance by Latin rock superstar Juanes.

Follow MCFARLAND, USA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mcfarlandusa

Follow Disney Pictures on Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneypictures

Tweet the Hashtag: #McFarlandUSA

Poster for Disney's McFarland, USA

Take a look at the poster for Disney’s MCFARLAND, USA!

MCFARLAND, USA opens in theaters February 20, 2015!

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.

Follow MCFARLAND, USA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mcfarlandusa

Follow Disney Pictures on Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneypictures

Tweet the Hashtag: #McFarlandUSA

Disney's McFarland, USA - Official Trailer

Disney's "McFarland, USA" comes to theaters February 20, 2015!

Inspired by 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.

Disney’s “McFarland, USA” stars Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Morgan Saylor, Martha Higareda, Michael Aguero, Sergio Avelar, Hector Duran, Rafael Martinez, Johnny Ortiz, Carlos Pratts, Ramiro Rodriguez, Danny Mora,Valente Rodriguez, Vanessa Martinez and Chris Ellis and is directed by Niki Caro with screenplay by Christopher Cleveland & Bettina Gilois and Grant Thompson, and story by Cleveland & Gilois. 

Gordon Gray and Mark Ciardi are producing, with Mario Iscovich and Mary Martin serving as executive producers.